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

Rizzo, 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 Rizzo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rizzo in America

Rizzo is the 1943rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rizzo surname appeared 18,605 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Rizzo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rizzo 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 Rizzo

The surname Rizzo has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "riccio," which means "curly" or "frizzy," referring to someone with curly hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rizzo can be found in a document from the city of Palermo, Sicily, dated 1283. This document mentions a nobleman named Matteo Rizzo, who owned several estates in the region. Another early reference is found in a manuscript from the town of Reggio Calabria, which mentions a merchant named Giovanni Rizzo in the year 1379.

During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the surname Rizzo. One of the most famous was Pietro Rizzo (1457-1532), a renowned sculptor from Palermo who created several marble statues and fountains that can still be found in various churches and public squares throughout Sicily.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure was Giuseppe Rizzo (1732-1805), an Italian philosopher and writer who authored several works on ethics and political theory. He was born in Messina, Sicily, and spent much of his life teaching and lecturing at universities in Naples and Rome.

Another notable individual was Antonio Rizzo (1798-1859), a Neapolitan painter who specialized in landscape and genre scenes. His works were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and can be found in various museums and private collections throughout Italy.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure was Vincenzo Rizzo (1828-1898), an Italian politician and journalist who played a significant role in the unification of Italy. He was born in Palermo and served as a member of the Italian Parliament for several terms.

During the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Rizzo was Frank Rizzo (1920-1991), an American politician who served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980. He was known for his tough stance on crime and his controversial policies, which were both praised and criticized by different segments of the population.

Throughout history, the surname Rizzo has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the town of Rizziconi in Calabria is believed to have been named after an ancient family with the name Rizzo. Additionally, the name has sometimes been spelled as "Rizzio" or "Ricio" in older documents and records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rizzo

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

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

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

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