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

Tusa, 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 Tusa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tusa in America

Tusa is the 27950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tusa surname appeared 858 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Tusa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tusa 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 Tusa

The surname Tusa has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 12th or 13th century, during the period when Sicily was under Norman rule. The name is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "tus," which means "tuft" or "lock of hair."

In the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or places of origin. It is possible that the name Tusa was originally given to someone with distinctive hair or was associated with a particular trade or profession related to hair or textiles. Alternatively, it may have been a reference to a specific location or town in Sicily, although the exact origin is unclear.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tusa can be found in a document from the year 1283, which mentions a certain "Giovanni Tusa" from the town of Palermo. This document provides evidence that the surname was already in use by that time in Sicily.

Throughout the centuries, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Tusa. One such person was Girolamo Tusa (1524-1589), a Sicilian jurist and scholar who served as a judge and wrote several legal treatises. Another was Nicola Tusa (1701-1770), a Baroque architect from Palermo who designed several churches and palaces in the city.

In the 19th century, Giuseppe Tusa (1832-1898) was a prominent Sicilian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian parliament. He was known for his advocacy of Sicilian autonomy and his efforts to promote the island's cultural and economic development.

More recently, Sebastiano Tusa (1952-2019) was a renowned Italian archaeologist and academic who specialized in underwater archaeology. He made significant contributions to the study of ancient shipwrecks and maritime trade in the Mediterranean region.

Throughout its history, the surname Tusa has been associated with various places in Sicily, such as the towns of Palermo, Trapani, and Agrigento. While the name may have evolved or been spelled slightly differently in different regions, its roots can be traced back to the island's rich cultural heritage and its diverse influences, including Arabic, Norman, and Italian.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tusa

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

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

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

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