2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vannicola
An Italian surname derived from the given name "Nicola" or "Nicholas", meaning "victory of the people".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Vannicola. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vannicola 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Vannicola in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vannicola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vannicola
The surname VANNICOLA is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the regions of Campania and Basilicata in southern Italy. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, between the 11th and 13th centuries.
One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Italian phrase "van nicola," which translates to "they go to Nicola." This indicates that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname, referring to individuals who frequently traveled or made pilgrimages to places associated with Saint Nicholas, a popular figure in Italian culture.
Another hypothesis links the name to the Latin word "vannus," meaning "winnowing fan," a tool used for separating grain from chaff. This connection implies that the name may have been initially given to individuals involved in agricultural or farming activities.
The earliest known record of the VANNICOLA name appears in the 1300s, in a manuscript detailing land ownership and taxation records in the town of Potenza, located in the province of Basilicata. This document mentions a family bearing the surname VANNICOLA as landowners in the region.
In the 15th century, historical records from the city of Naples mention a prominent figure named Giulio VANNICOLA (1428-1497), a merchant and trader who established a successful business exporting goods from the port of Naples to other Mediterranean countries.
During the Renaissance period, the VANNICOLA name gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio VANNICOLA (1501-1572), a skilled painter and fresco artist who contributed to the decoration of several churches and palaces in the city of Salerno.
Another notable individual with this surname was Gennaro VANNICOLA (1675-1742), a renowned composer and musician who served as the court composer for the Kingdom of Naples during the early 18th century.
In more recent history, the name VANNICOLA has been associated with Giuseppe VANNICOLA (1834-1904), a prominent Italian politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the unification of Italy and served as a member of the Italian Parliament.
While the VANNICOLA name originated in southern Italy, it has since spread to other regions and countries due to migration and cultural exchanges. However, its rich history and connections to various aspects of Italian culture, including art, music, and trade, remain deeply rooted in its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vannicola
Among Census respondents with the surname Vannicola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Vannicola 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 Vannicola surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 96
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vannicola
Vannicola 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,711 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,303 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,711 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,303 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 Vannicola 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 | #150,452 | #154,755 | -2.9% |
| Count | 109 | 102 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vannicola bearers went from 109 to 102 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,303 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,755.
FAQ
Vannicola surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vannicola?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Vannicola. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Vannicola?
Vannicola ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Vannicola. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vannicola.
Has Vannicola become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vannicola went from 109 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Vannicola?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vannicola, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Vannicola in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vannicola appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Vannicola (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 Vannicola mean?
An Italian surname derived from the given name "Nicola" or "Nicholas", meaning "victory of the people". 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 Vannicola (0.03 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 last name Vannicola?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Vannicola at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.