2000
#98,298
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Miniaci
A surname of Italian origin likely derived from the word "miniato" meaning vermilion or bright red.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 179 Americans carry the last name Miniaci. That puts it at #117,879 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,914,829 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Miniaci 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
179
1 in 1,914,829
Census rank
#117,879
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
156
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 156 bearers of the surname Miniaci in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 117879th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Miniaci, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Miniaci
The surname Miniaci has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Latin word "minutus," which means small or little, and the Italian suffix "-aci," which is often associated with place names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Miniaci can be found in the Sicilian town of Mineo, where it is believed to have originated. The town's name is derived from the Latin word "minius," meaning small or little, which may have contributed to the formation of the surname Miniaci.
During the Middle Ages, the Miniaci family was prominent in the Sicilian town of Mineo, and their name appeared in various historical records and documents from that period. One notable individual bearing the Miniaci surname was Giovanni Miniaci, a Sicilian nobleman who lived in the 13th century.
In the 14th century, the name Miniaci also appeared in the records of the city of Palermo, where a family of that name was involved in the local government and held influential positions. Antonio Miniaci, who lived in the late 14th century, was a prominent merchant and city councilor in Palermo.
As the Miniaci family spread throughout Italy, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Miniaci, Miniacchi, and Miniacchi. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of different scribes who recorded the name.
One of the most notable figures with the surname Miniaci was Girolamo Miniaci, a 16th-century Sicilian artist and sculptor. He was known for his intricate woodcarvings and works in various churches and monasteries throughout Sicily.
Another individual of note was Vincenzo Miniaci, a 17th-century Sicilian lawyer and author. He wrote extensively on legal matters and was regarded as an authority in his field during his time.
In the 18th century, the Miniaci family produced several prominent members in the fields of academia and the Church. One such individual was Father Antonio Miniaci, a renowned theologian and professor at the University of Palermo, who lived from 1712 to 1789.
Additionally, the surname Miniaci can be found in historical records from other parts of Italy, indicating that the family had spread beyond its Sicilian roots over the centuries. However, the name's strongest associations remain with the island of Sicily and its rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Miniaci
Among Census respondents with the surname Miniaci, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Miniaci 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 Miniaci surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.4% · 141
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 9
- Two or more races2.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Miniaci
Miniaci 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
#104,602
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 6,304 places
2020
#117,879
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
-15 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 13,277 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #98,298 | 171 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #104,602 | 171 | 0.06 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 6,304 places |
| 2020 | #117,879 | 156 | 0.05 | -15 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 13,277 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 Miniaci 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 | #104,602 | #117,879 | -12.7% |
| Count | 171 | 156 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Miniaci bearers went from 171 to 156 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 13,277 positions in the national ranking, going from #104,602 to #117,879.
FAQ
Miniaci surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Miniaci?
Name Census estimates that about 179 living Americans carry the surname Miniaci. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,914,829 residents.
How common is Miniaci?
Miniaci ranks #117,879 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 156 people with the surname Miniaci. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (179), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Miniaci.
Has Miniaci become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Miniaci went from 171 recorded bearers to 156. That is a decrease of 15 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #104,602 to #117,879.
What does the Census say about the background of Miniaci?
Among Census respondents with the surname Miniaci, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Miniaci in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.4% (141 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Miniaci appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.4%), Hispanic (5.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Miniaci (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 Miniaci mean?
A surname of Italian origin likely derived from the word "miniato" meaning vermilion or bright red. 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 Miniaci (0.05 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 share the surname Miniaci?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.