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

Tedesco, 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 Tedesco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tedesco in America

Tedesco is the 5660th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tedesco surname appeared 6,133 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Tedesco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tedesco 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 Tedesco

The surname Tedesco is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "tedesco," which means "German." This name likely originated in Italy during the Middle Ages, when it was used to identify individuals who had some connection to Germany or were of German descent.

The earliest known record of the name Tedesco can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, particularly in the northern regions where there was more frequent interaction with German-speaking populations. The name may have been given to individuals who were born in Germany or had German ancestors, or it could have been a descriptive name for those who spoke German or had German cultural ties.

In some cases, the name Tedesco may have been associated with trade or commerce, as Italian merchants and traders often had dealings with German counterparts during the medieval and Renaissance periods. It is possible that the name was adopted by Italian families involved in such activities.

One notable early bearer of the name was Giovanni Tedesco, a 14th-century Italian architect and sculptor who worked on several important projects in Florence, including the Basilica of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio.

Another significant figure with the surname Tedesco was Niccolo Tedesco, a 15th-century Italian painter active in Venice. He was known for his religious works and contributed to the decoration of several churches in the city.

In the 16th century, the name Tedesco appears in the records of the Venetian Republic, where a family with this surname held influential positions in the government and military. One member, Antonio Tedesco (1520-1592), served as a naval commander and played a crucial role in the Battle of Lepanto against the Ottoman Empire.

During the 17th century, the Tedesco family was prominent in the city of Naples, where they were involved in various professions, including law, medicine, and the clergy. One notable figure was Carlo Tedesco (1629-1698), a Neapolitan lawyer and writer who authored several legal treatises.

In the 18th century, the name Tedesco was found in the records of the Papal States, where a family with this surname held land and titles. One member, Giuseppe Tedesco (1725-1798), was a nobleman and landowner who played a role in the administration of the Papal territories.

While the Tedesco surname has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and has been adopted by individuals of various ethnic backgrounds, particularly those with Italian ancestry or connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tedesco

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!