Explore the Family Name Capitano

The meaning of Capitano

Italian (Sicily and Naples): status name from capitano ‘captain’, a title denoting the master of a ship, an official of some kind, or an officer in the army. Compare Captain. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Salvatore, Sal, Angelo, Gilda, Orazio, Sarina.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Capitano in the United States?

The popularity of the surname Capitano, as per the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, saw an increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Capitano was ranked 36,630th in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had risen to the 33,379th spot – a notable change of 8.88%. Similarly, the count for this surname increased by 18.75% during this period, going from 576 in 2000 to 684 in 2010. The proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people also saw a rise, increasing by 9.52% from 0.21 to 0.23.

20002010Change
Rank#36,630#33,3798.88%
Count57668418.75%
Proportion per 100k0.210.239.52%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Capitano

In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the Capitano surname is primarily associated with White individuals, though there were slight shifts in its ethnic distribution between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, 93.23% of those with this surname identified as White, but this percentage decreased slightly to 92.11% by 2010. During this same time frame, the proportion of Capitanos identifying as Hispanic increased from 4.17% to 4.68%, reflecting a growth of 12.23%. Those identifying with two or more races decreased from 1.91% to 1.61% while Asians/Pacific Islanders made a debut in 2010 at 0.73%. There were no Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals reported with the Capitano surname in either year.

20002010Change
White93.23%92.11%-1.2%
Hispanic4.17%4.68%12.23%
Two or More Races1.91%1.61%-15.71%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0.73%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%