2000
#89,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 192
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Dicillo
An Italian surname derived from the word "cielo" meaning heaven or sky.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 190 Americans carry the last name Dicillo. That puts it at #112,515 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,803,970 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dicillo 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
190
1 in 1,803,970
Census rank
#112,515
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
166
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 166 bearers of the surname Dicillo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 112515th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dicillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dicillo
The surname DICILLO originated in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of the country, during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "dīcere," meaning "to say" or "to speak." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who were known for their oratory skills or professions involving public speaking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 13th century, where a certain Guglielmo DICILLO is mentioned in a document from the city of Naples. This document, now preserved in the archives of the Archdiocese of Naples, provides valuable insight into the surname's presence in the area during that time.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the records of the Republic of Venice, where a merchant named Giovanni DICILLO is documented as engaging in trade activities with the eastern Mediterranean region. This indicates that the surname had spread beyond its initial southern Italian origins and was being carried by individuals involved in commerce and trade.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained prominence through the works of Antonio DICILLO, a renowned poet and scholar from Salerno. Born in 1482, Antonio's literary contributions and intellectual pursuits brought recognition to the surname within the realms of art and academia.
Another notable figure associated with the name was Domenico DICILLO, a military commander who served under the Spanish Crown in the 16th century. Domenico's achievements on the battlefield and his role in the Spanish conquest of Naples further added to the historical significance of the surname.
In the 17th century, the name DICILLO appeared in the records of the Vatican Archives, where a cleric named Francesco DICILLO is mentioned as holding an ecclesiastical position within the Catholic Church. This highlights the surname's presence among the religious elite of the time.
Throughout the centuries, the name has undergone various spellings and variations, such as DICELLA, DICILLI, and DECILLO, reflecting the linguistic diversity and regional influences across different parts of Italy. Additionally, some branches of the DICILLO family may have adopted or been associated with specific place names or localities, further contributing to the richness of the surname's history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dicillo
Among Census respondents with the surname Dicillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Dicillo 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 Dicillo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.6% · 157
- Two or more races3.0% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dicillo
Dicillo 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
#99,378
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 182
-10 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 9,829 places
2020
#112,515
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 166
-16 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 13,137 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #89,549 | 192 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #99,378 | 182 | 0.06 | -10 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 9,829 places |
| 2020 | #112,515 | 166 | 0.06 | -16 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 13,137 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 Dicillo 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 | #99,378 | #112,515 | -13.2% |
| Count | 182 | 166 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.06 | -7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dicillo bearers went from 182 to 166 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 13,137 positions in the national ranking, going from #99,378 to #112,515.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Dicillo
FAQ
Dicillo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dicillo?
Name Census estimates that about 190 living Americans carry the surname Dicillo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,803,970 residents.
How common is Dicillo?
Dicillo ranks #112,515 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 166 people with the surname Dicillo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (190), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Dicillo.
Has Dicillo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dicillo went from 182 recorded bearers to 166. That is a decrease of 16 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #99,378 to #112,515.
What does the Census say about the background of Dicillo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dicillo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Dicillo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.6% (157 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dicillo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.6%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Dicillo (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 Dicillo mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "cielo" meaning heaven or sky. 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 Dicillo (0.06 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 Dicillo?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.