2000
#38,644
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 538
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.20
Very Rare Last name
Puccini
An Italian surname possibly derived from the occupational term "puccio" or "pucchio" meaning chicken keeper.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 640 Americans carry the last name Puccini. That puts it at #41,948 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 535,554 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Puccini surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
640
1 in 535,554
Census rank
#41,948
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
558
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 558 bearers of the surname Puccini in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 41948th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Puccini, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.6%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Puccini
The surname Puccini is of Italian origin and traces its roots back to the Renaissance period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Tuscany, particularly in the city of Lucca. The name is derived from the Italian word "puccio," which means "pungent" or "bitter," likely referring to a personal characteristic or occupation associated with the original bearer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Puccini can be found in the 14th century, when a family of musicians and composers from Lucca began using the name. This family played a significant role in the development of Italian Renaissance music.
A notable member of the Puccini family was Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), one of the most renowned Italian composers of operas. His works, such as "La Bohème," "Tosca," and "Madama Butterfly," have become beloved classics and have influenced generations of composers and performers.
Another individual of historical significance was Vincenzo Puccini (1712-1785), an Italian architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Lucca, including the Church of San Frediano and the Palazzo Puccini.
In the realm of literature, Antonio Puccini (1876-1926) was an Italian poet and dramatist known for his works that explored themes of social commentary and human nature.
Moving beyond the artistic sphere, Aurelio Puccini (1915-1986) was an Italian politician who served as a member of the European Parliament and played a significant role in the development of European integration policies.
Additionally, the name Puccini has been linked to various place names in Italy, such as the town of Puccini in the province of Lucca, which likely derived its name from the surname itself.
Throughout history, the surname Puccini has maintained a strong association with the arts, particularly music and architecture, as well as contributions to literature and politics. While the name originated in a specific region of Italy, it has since spread and gained recognition worldwide, thanks to the enduring legacies of notable individuals who have carried this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Puccini
Among Census respondents with the surname Puccini, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.6%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Puccini bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Puccini surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 482
- Hispanic or Latino11.6% · 65
- Two or more races1.3% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Puccini
Puccini appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#41,359
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 526
-12 bearers (-2.2%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 2,715 places
2020
#41,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 558
+32 bearers (+6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Down 589 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #38,644 | 538 | 0.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #41,359 | 526 | 0.18 | -12 bearers (-2.2%) | Down 2,715 places |
| 2020 | #41,948 | 558 | 0.19 | +32 bearers (+6.1%) | Down 589 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Puccini surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,359 | #41,948 | -1.4% |
| Count | 526 | 558 | 6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.19 | 3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Puccini bearers went from 526 to 558 (+6.1% change). The surname moved down 589 positions in the national ranking, going from #41,359 to #41,948.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Puccini
FAQ
Puccini surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Puccini?
Name Census estimates that about 640 living Americans carry the surname Puccini. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 535,554 residents.
How common is Puccini?
Puccini ranks #41,948 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 558 people with the surname Puccini. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (640), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.19 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Puccini.
Has Puccini become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Puccini went from 526 recorded bearers to 558. That is an increase of 32 (+6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #41,359 to #41,948.
What does the Census say about the background of Puccini?
Among Census respondents with the surname Puccini, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.6%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Puccini in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (482 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Puccini appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Hispanic (11.6%), Two or More Races (1.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Puccini (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Puccini mean?
An Italian surname possibly derived from the occupational term "puccio" or "pucchio" meaning chicken keeper. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Puccini (0.19 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Puccini?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Puccini? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.