2000
#80,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 218
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Docimo
A surname derived from the Italian male given name "Docimo".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 259 Americans carry the last name Docimo. That puts it at #88,273 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,323,376 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Docimo 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
259
1 in 1,323,376
Census rank
#88,273
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
226
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 226 bearers of the surname Docimo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 88273rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Docimo, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Docimo
The surname Docimo has its origins in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries.
The name is derived from the Latin word "docimus," which means "learned" or "erudite." This suggests that the surname may have been given initially to individuals who possessed a high level of education or scholarly knowledge.
One of the earliest known records of the surname appears in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of documents from the city of Bari dating back to the 12th century. This document mentions a certain "Petrus Docimo" in the year 1189.
Another early reference can be found in the "Rationes Decimarum Italiae," a papal record of tithes collected in various Italian regions during the late 13th century. This document lists several individuals with the surname Docimo, indicating its presence in multiple towns and villages across southern Italy.
The name Docimo has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Gregorio Docimo, a philosopher and theologian who lived in the 14th century. He was known for his writings on Aristotelian logic and metaphysics.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained prominence with the birth of Giacomo Docimo (1508-1583), a renowned architect and sculptor from Naples. He was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and palaces in the region, including the Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo and the Palazzo d'Avalos.
In the 18th century, Giuseppe Docimo (1725-1798) was a prominent painter and engraver from the town of Acri, in the province of Cosenza. His works, which often depicted religious themes and landscapes, can be found in various churches and museums throughout southern Italy.
Another notable figure was Vincenzo Docimo (1819-1891), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Italian Parliament during the late 19th century. He was instrumental in the unification of Italy and played a crucial role in the development of the country's legal system.
More recently, Ferdinando Docimo (1902-1979) was a celebrated Italian sculptor and painter, known for his works in bronze and his depictions of religious figures. His sculptures can be found in various churches and public spaces throughout Italy.
While the surname Docimo may have originated from a specific region in southern Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have migrated over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Docimo
Among Census respondents with the surname Docimo, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Docimo 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 Docimo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5% · 218
- Two or more races2.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Docimo
Docimo 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
#90,113
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 205
-13 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 9,301 places
2020
#88,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 226
+21 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 1,840 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #80,812 | 218 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #90,113 | 205 | 0.07 | -13 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 9,301 places |
| 2020 | #88,273 | 226 | 0.08 | +21 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 1,840 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 Docimo 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 | #90,113 | #88,273 | 2.0% |
| Count | 205 | 226 | 10.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.08 | 8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Docimo bearers went from 205 to 226 (+10.2% change). The surname moved up 1,840 positions in the national ranking, going from #90,113 to #88,273.
FAQ
Docimo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Docimo?
Name Census estimates that about 259 living Americans carry the surname Docimo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,323,376 residents.
How common is Docimo?
Docimo ranks #88,273 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 226 people with the surname Docimo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (259), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Docimo.
Has Docimo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Docimo went from 205 recorded bearers to 226. That is an increase of 21 (+10.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #90,113 to #88,273.
What does the Census say about the background of Docimo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Docimo, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.2%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Docimo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (218 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Docimo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.5%), Two or More Races (2.2%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Docimo (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 Docimo mean?
A surname derived from the Italian male given name "Docimo". 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 Docimo (0.08 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 Docimo?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Docimo, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.