2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schepisi
An Italian surname denoting someone who dwelled near a sheepfold.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Schepisi. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schepisi 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Schepisi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schepisi, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schepisi
The surname Schepisi has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of the country. It is believed to have originated from the Italian word "scheppa," which means "piece" or "fragment." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked with fragments or small pieces of something, such as a craftsman or a sculptor.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Schepisi can be traced back to the 16th century in the regions of Calabria and Sicily. In these areas, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as "Schiepisi," "Schipisi," or "Schippisi," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.
One of the earliest documented mentions of the name Schepisi is found in the records of the town of Reggio Calabria, dating back to the late 1500s. These records indicate that a family with the surname Schepisi was among the prominent citizens of the town at that time.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Schepisi began to spread beyond the southern regions of Italy, with families bearing this surname migrating to other parts of the country. Notably, a branch of the Schepisi family settled in the Lazio region, near Rome, where they became known for their involvement in the arts and literature.
One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Schepisi was Giovan Battista Schepisi (1701-1782), a renowned painter from the town of Scilla in Calabria. His works, which often depicted religious scenes and portraiture, can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy.
Another notable figure was Antonio Schepisi (1845-1917), a philosopher and educator from Sicily. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and wrote several books on philosophy and ethics.
In the 20th century, the surname Schepisi gained international recognition thanks to the acclaimed Italian-Australian film director and screenwriter, Fred Schepisi (born 1939). Known for his critically acclaimed films such as "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith" and "Roxanne," Schepisi has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema.
Additionally, the name Schepisi has been associated with various other professions, including law, medicine, and academia. For instance, Giuseppe Schepisi (1874-1951) was a prominent Italian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Italian Senate.
While the surname Schepisi may have originated from a humble occupation, it has since been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, solidifying its place in the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schepisi
Among Census respondents with the surname Schepisi, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Schepisi 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 Schepisi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.8% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.2% · 6
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schepisi
Schepisi 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-10 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 20,451 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+12 bearers (+11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,477 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 20,451 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.7%) | Up 11,477 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 Schepisi 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 | #157,234 | #145,757 | 7.3% |
| Count | 103 | 115 | 11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 28.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schepisi bearers went from 103 to 115 (+11.7% change). The surname moved up 11,477 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #145,757.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Schepisi
FAQ
Schepisi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schepisi?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Schepisi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Schepisi?
Schepisi ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 115 people with the surname Schepisi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Schepisi.
Has Schepisi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schepisi went from 103 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 12 (+11.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Schepisi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schepisi, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Schepisi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.8% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schepisi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Schepisi (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 Schepisi mean?
An Italian surname denoting someone who dwelled near a sheepfold. 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 Schepisi (0.04 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 Schepisi?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.