2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zitello
A surname originating from the Italian word zitello, meaning a young unmarried man or bachelor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Zitello. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zitello 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Zitello in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zitello, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zitello
The surname Zitello traces its origins to Italy, emerging prominently in the Middle Ages. Specifically, it is believed to have roots in Southern Italy, particularly within the regions of Calabria and Sicily. The name Zitello is derived from the Italian word "zitello," which is a diminutive form of "zito," meaning "young man" or "bachelor" in the Neapolitan dialect. This etymology suggests that the name likely referred to a young or unmarried man, possibly one who was head of a household or prominent in his community.
Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries reveal the presence of the name in various forms. Manuscripts from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies include mentions of individuals with surnames such as Zitello, Citello, and even Citelli. These variations indicate that the name was somewhat fluid in its early adoption, likely influenced by regional dialects and the transient nature of record-keeping in medieval Italy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in a tax document from 1290 in Calabria, where a Raffaele Zitello is listed as a landowner. This early record provides a valuable glimpse into the socio-economic status of individuals bearing the surname during this period. Another noteworthy mention comes from a Sicilian church register dated 1435, documenting the marriage of Maria Zitello to Giovanni di Pietro, highlighting the spread of the surname into ecclesiastical records.
By the 16th century, the Zitello family had established roots in several Italian towns. For instance, Antonio Zitello, born in 1542 in Palermo, gained recognition as a notary public, a position of considerable influence and respect. His records indicate transactions and legal matters involving several prominent families of the time, suggesting that the Zitellos had integrated well into the local socio-economic fabric.
In the 17th century, Donato Zitello, born in 1601 in Reggio Calabria, earned a reputation as a military officer in the service of the Duchy of Milan. His service under Duke Francesco Maria II della Rovere included numerous campaigns, with letters and military dispatches bearing his name archived in the Milan State Archives.
The 18th century saw the name continue its presence in legal and academic spheres. Pietro Zitello, born in 1715 in Naples, became a renowned legal scholar and professor at the University of Naples. His published works on civil law are still referenced by contemporary historians and legal professionals studying the evolution of Italian legal codes.
Another prominent figure from the 19th century, Emilia Zitello, born in 1832 in Catania, was an early advocate for women's education and social reforms. Her writings and public speeches contributed significantly to the nascent women's rights movement in Italy, making her a celebrated figure in the annals of Italian history.
Through these historical records and notable individuals, the surname Zitello not only highlights its linguistic origins but also reflects the varied and significant contributions of its bearers to Italian society over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zitello
Among Census respondents with the surname Zitello, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zitello 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 Zitello surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 92
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zitello
Zitello 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-6 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,644 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,427 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 16,644 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 2,427 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 Zitello 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 | #158,432 | #156,005 | 1.5% |
| Count | 102 | 99 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 10.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zitello bearers went from 102 to 99 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 2,427 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #156,005.
FAQ
Zitello surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zitello?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Zitello. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Zitello?
Zitello ranks #156,005 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 99 people with the surname Zitello. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), 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 Zitello.
Has Zitello become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zitello went from 102 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Zitello?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zitello, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Zitello in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zitello appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Two or More Races (4.0%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Zitello (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 Zitello mean?
A surname originating from the Italian word zitello, meaning a young unmarried man or bachelor. 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 Zitello (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 Zitello?
You can see how many people are called Zitello on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.