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

Restivo, 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 Restivo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Restivo in America

Restivo is the 14427th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Restivo surname appeared 2,071 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Restivo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Restivo 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 Restivo

The surname "Restivo" is of Italian origin, deriving from the medieval Italian word "restio," which means "obstinate" or "stubborn." It likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as having a resolute or unyielding character.

The name is thought to have emerged in Sicily during the 13th or 14th century. It was particularly prevalent in the regions of Palermo and Catania, where many early records of the name can be found.

One of the earliest known references to the name "Restivo" dates back to a document from the city of Palermo in 1326, which mentions a certain "Nicolao Restivo." Another early record from Catania in 1352 refers to a "Giovanni Restivo."

In the late 15th century, a notable figure named Antonio Restivo (1452-1521) was a prominent painter and architect from Palermo, known for his work on several churches and palaces in the city.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various records across Sicily, such as a reference to a "Vincenzo Restivo" in a legal document from Palermo in 1587.

In the 17th century, a Jesuit priest named Tommaso Restivo (1592-1672) from Catania gained recognition for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy.

Another notable individual with the surname "Restivo" was the 18th-century Sicilian poet and playwright, Giuseppe Restivo (1735-1809), whose works were widely acclaimed during his time.

As the name spread beyond Sicily, it can be found in various regions of Italy, particularly in the south. For instance, in the late 19th century, a lawyer named Raffaele Restivo (1845-1912) from the town of Foggia in Puglia became known for his contributions to Italian jurisprudence.

While the surname "Restivo" is primarily associated with Italy, it has also been carried by individuals of Italian descent in other parts of the world, particularly in North and South America, where Italian immigrants settled and established communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Restivo

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

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

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

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