Explore the Family Name Palermo
The meaning of Palermo
Italian: habitational name from the Sicilian city of Palermo, the Greek name of which is Panormos, from pan ‘all’ + hormos ‘anchorage, bay’, probably in the sense ‘wide gulf’, but possibly ‘well-protected bay’. The placename was also used as a personal name in the medieval period and no doubt also contributed to the surname. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Rocco, Salvatore, Antonio, Sal, Vito, Ciro, Guido, Pasquale, Carlo, Carmine.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Palermo in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Palermo has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The rank of this surname dropped by 9.33%, moving it from 3977th position in 2000 to 4348th in 2010. The count also dwindled slightly by 0.51% with 8207 individuals bearing this surname in 2000 and 8165 in 2010. The proportion per 100k showed a decrease of 8.88%, representing 3.04 per 100k in 2000 and 2.77 per 100k in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,977 | #4,348 | -9.33% |
| Count | 8,207 | 8,165 | -0.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.04 | 2.77 | -8.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Palermo
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts over the decade. Individuals with Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnic identities had an increase of 23.73% and 33.33% respectively. People identifying as Two or More Races and Hispanic also saw growth of 6.90% and 26.02% respectively. Surprisingly, there was a significant increase of 185.71% within the American Indian and Alaskan Native category. Meanwhile, the number of White individuals with the Palermo surname decreased by 2.32%, but still constituted the majority in 2010, making up 89.42% of all Palermos.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.54% | 89.42% | -2.32% |
| Hispanic | 6.15% | 7.75% | 26.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.18% | 1.46% | 23.73% |
| Two or More Races | 0.87% | 0.93% | 6.9% |
| Black | 0.18% | 0.24% | 33.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.07% | 0.2% | 185.71% |
Palermo ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Palermo is Italian, which comprises 35.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.6%) and French & German (15.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 35.1% |
| British & Irish | 28.6% |
| French & German | 15.9% |
| Other | 20.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Palermo
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Palermo have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 59.00% |
| Calabria, Italy | 57.70% |
| Campania, Italy | 57.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 56.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 55.60% |
What Palermo haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Palermo is E-M183, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup E-M183 is descended from haplogroup E-M96. Other common haplogroups include J-L70 and R-Z93, which are predominantly found among people with European and Central & South Asian ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: D'Angelo, Rizzo, Marino, Russo, Luciano, Deluca, Napolitano, Mancini, Esposito, Paul.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Palermo surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins E-M96Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Palermo have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Palermo" Surname 56.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Palermo" Surname 26.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Palermo" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Palermo" Surname 15.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Palermo?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Palermo are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition