Regalo last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Regalo is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Regalo.

Meaning of Regalo

An Italian surname meaning "gift" or "present".

Regalo, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Regalo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Regalo in America

Regalo is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Regalo surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Regalo.

The history of the last name Regalo

The surname Regalo is of Italian origin, derived from the Latin word "regalus," meaning "royal." The name is believed to have emerged in the 14th century, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Regalo can be found in a document from the city of Siena, dated 1372, which mentions a family by the name of Regalucci. This variation of the surname suggests that it may have originally been a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone's association with royalty or nobility.

During the Renaissance period, the name Regalo gained prominence among Italian artists and intellectuals. Notably, the renowned painter Pietro Regalo, born in 1492 in Florence, was celebrated for his exquisite frescoes adorning various churches and palaces throughout Italy.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in several historical records from the Papal States, including a reference to a prominent lawyer named Giovanni Regalo, who served as a legal advisor to Pope Clement VII during his reign from 1523 to 1534.

As Italian families migrated across Europe, the name Regalo spread to other regions. One notable example is the French philosopher and writer, Jacques Regalo, who lived from 1608 to 1680 and was known for his influential works on ethics and political philosophy.

In the 18th century, the name Regalo gained recognition in the field of music. Antonio Regalo, a composer and violinist born in Venice in 1724, is remembered for his contributions to the development of the Venetian Baroque style.

Another notable figure was Maria Regalo, an Italian opera singer born in Naples in 1783, who achieved widespread acclaim for her performances across Europe, particularly in the roles of Rossini's operas.

The surname Regalo has also been associated with several notable scholars and academics throughout history. One such individual was Giuseppe Regalo, an Italian philosopher and professor at the University of Bologna in the late 19th century, whose works explored the intersection of metaphysics and ethics.

While the surname Regalo may have evolved over time and spread across various regions, its origins can be traced back to the Latin word "regalus," reflecting a connection to royalty or nobility that has been carried through generations of individuals bearing this distinguished name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Regalo

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Regalo.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Regalo was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 47.83% 55
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 50.43% 58

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Regalo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Regalo, please contact us.

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"Regalo last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/regalo-surname-popularity/.

"Regalo last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/regalo-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Regalo last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/regalo-surname-popularity/.

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