2000
#14,349
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,914
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Sica
Derived from the Italian word "sica," meaning "dagger," likely referring to a knife maker or a combative person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,204 Americans carry the last name Sica. That puts it at #14,812 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 155,515 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sica surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
2.2K
1 in 155,515
Census rank
#14,812
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,922 bearers of the surname Sica in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14812th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sica, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sica
The surname "SICA" is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. It is derived from the Latin word "sica," which means "a curved dagger or short sword." The name likely originated in the medieval period, possibly as an occupational surname for individuals who were involved in the manufacturing or use of daggers or swords.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SICA" can be found in the 13th century, in a document from the city of Bologna, which mentions a person named "Petrus Sica." In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records from the cities of Florence and Siena, where it was often associated with notable families and individuals.
During the Renaissance period, the surname "SICA" gained prominence in Italy. One notable figure was Girolamo Sica (1519-1584), an Italian lawyer and jurist from Naples. He served as a judge and legal advisor to several prominent figures, including Pope Pius V.
In the 17th century, the surname "SICA" was also present in other parts of Europe. For instance, there are records of individuals with this surname in Spain, where it was sometimes spelled as "Sica" or "Xica." One notable figure was Juan Sica (1630-1695), a Spanish painter and engraver from Valencia.
Moving forward to the 18th century, the surname "SICA" can be found in various historical records from Italy and other parts of Europe. One notable individual was Giuseppe Sica (1742-1819), an Italian painter and architect from Naples. He was known for his works in churches and palaces throughout Italy.
In the 19th century, the surname "SICA" continued to be present in Italy and other countries. One notable figure was Gennaro Sica (1829-1891), an Italian politician and lawyer from Naples. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was involved in the unification of Italy.
Another significant individual with the surname "SICA" was Vittorio Sica (1901-1974), an Italian film director and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the masters of Italian Neorealist cinema and is best known for films such as "Bicycle Thieves" and "Umberto D."
Throughout its history, the surname "SICA" has been associated with various occupations, ranging from lawyers and judges to artists and politicians. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, the name has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped the continent over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sica
Among Census respondents with the surname Sica, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Sica bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Sica surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.6% · 1,588
- Hispanic or Latino13.4% · 257
- Two or more races1.8% · 35
- Black or African American1.1% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sica
Sica appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,994
+80 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 505 places
2020
#14,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,922
-72 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 42 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,349 | 1,914 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,854 | 1,994 | 0.68 | +80 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 505 places |
| 2020 | #14,812 | 1,922 | 0.64 | -72 bearers (-3.6%) | Up 42 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sica surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,854 | #14,812 | 0.3% |
| Count | 1,994 | 1,922 | -3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.64 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sica bearers went from 1,994 to 1,922 (-3.6% change). The surname moved up 42 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,854 to #14,812.
FAQ
Sica surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sica?
Name Census estimates that about 2,204 living Americans carry the surname Sica. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 155,515 residents.
How common is Sica?
Sica ranks #14,812 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,922 people with the surname Sica. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,204), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sica.
Has Sica become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sica went from 1,994 recorded bearers to 1,922. That is a decrease of 72 (-3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,854 to #14,812.
What does the Census say about the background of Sica?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sica, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sica in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.6% (1,588 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sica appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.6%), Hispanic (13.4%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sica (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sica mean?
Derived from the Italian word "sica," meaning "dagger," likely referring to a knife maker or a combative person. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sica (0.64 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Sica?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.