Santostefano
From the Italian words "santo" meaning saint and "Stefano" meaning Stephen, denoting origin from a place named after St. Stephen.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 308 Americans carry the last name Santostefano. That puts it at #75,317 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,112,839 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Santostefano surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
308
1 in 1,112,839
Census rank
#75,317
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
256
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 256 bearers of the surname Santostefano in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 75317th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Santostefano, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Santostefano
The surname Santostefano has its roots in Italy, originating in the southern regions of the country during the medieval period. It is a combination of the Italian words "santo" meaning "saint" and "Stefano" which is the Italian form of the name Stephen. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with a place or location dedicated to Saint Stephen.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in historical documents from the 13th century, where it appears as "de Sancto Stephano" in Latin texts. This spelling variation indicates that the name likely originated as a toponymic surname, denoting someone who hailed from a place named after Saint Stephen.
In the 14th century, the surname is documented in the form "Santostefano" in Sicilian records, suggesting that the name had become more firmly established in southern Italy, particularly in the region of Sicily. During this time, the name may have been associated with various localities named after Saint Stephen, such as the town of Santo Stefano di Camastra in the province of Messina.
Notable individuals bearing the Santostefano surname include Domenico Santostefano (1555-1636), an Italian painter and architect active in Sicily during the Baroque period. Another figure was Antonio Santostefano (1643-1705), a Sicilian lawyer and author who wrote extensively on legal matters.
In the 18th century, the name appears in historical records from Naples, where Gennaro Santostefano (1723-1797) was a prominent philosopher and theologian. He authored several works on metaphysics and moral philosophy.
Moving into the 19th century, Nicola Santostefano (1826-1891) was an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy.
One of the most notable bearers of the Santostefano surname was Vincenzo Santostefano (1837-1922), an Italian military officer and diplomat who played a significant role in the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. He served as the Italian ambassador to Turkey and was involved in the negotiations that led to the Treaty of San Stefano in 1878.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Santostefano
Among Census respondents with the surname Santostefano, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Santostefano bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Santostefano surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Santostefano surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #75,317 | #75,317 | 0.0% |
| Count | 256 | 256 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Santostefano bearers went from 256 to 256 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #75,317 to #75,317.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Santostefano
FAQ
Santostefano surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Santostefano?
The surname Santostefano holds position #75,317 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 308 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Santostefano surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Santostefano, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.