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

Restifo, 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 Restifo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Restifo in America

Restifo is the 66371st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Restifo surname appeared 298 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 Restifo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Restifo to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Restifo

The surname Restifo originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "restivo," which means "stubborn" or "restive." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a headstrong or unyielding personality.

Historically, the name Restifo has been most prevalent in the regions of Sicily and Calabria in southern Italy. It can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as Restivo, Restivu, and Restifo.

One of the earliest known references to the name appears in a document from the town of Messina, Sicily, dated 1286. The document mentions a "Giovanni Restifo," who was a local landowner and merchant.

In the 14th century, there are records of a family named Restifo residing in the town of Reggio Calabria, located in the region of Calabria. This family was involved in the local government and held positions of authority within the community.

During the Renaissance period, a notable figure with the surname Restifo was Antonio Restifo (1460-1534), a renowned painter from Palermo, Sicily. His works can still be found in various churches and galleries throughout the island.

In the 17th century, a prominent member of the Restifo family was Francesco Restifo (1623-1691), a Jesuit priest and scholar from Messina. He authored several theological texts and was highly regarded for his knowledge of ancient languages.

Another notable individual was Vincenzo Restifo (1772-1842), a lawyer and political activist from Catania, Sicily. He played a significant role in the Sicilian revolution against the Bourbon monarchy and was a champion of Sicilian autonomy.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Restifo has maintained a strong presence in southern Italy, particularly in Sicily and Calabria. While not a widespread name globally, it continues to hold historical significance and roots within these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Restifo

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

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 Restifo was:

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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Restifo has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Restifo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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