Explore the Family Name Prospero
The meaning of Prospero
Italian; Spanish (Próspero): from the personal name Italian Prospero, Spanish Próspero, from Latin Prosper(us) ‘prosperous, fortunate’ (see Prosper). Some characteristic forenames: Italian Umberto, Alberto, Caesar, Guido, Pasquale. Spanish Ana, Carlos, Jose, Josefa, Pedro.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Prospero in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Prospero has seen considerable growth in the United States over the past decade. In 2000, Prospero was ranked as the 49,767th most common surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 42,640th position, reflecting a 14.32 percent increase in rank. The frequency of the surname also grew during this period, with the count going up from 396 to 508, a rise of 28.28 percent. Consequently, the proportion of people named Prospero per 100,000 increased by 13.33 percent, moving from 0.15 to 0.17.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #49,767 | #42,640 | 14.32% |
| Count | 396 | 508 | 28.28% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.15 | 0.17 | 13.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Prospero
When we look at the distribution of the Prospero surname by ethnicity, based on the Decennial U.S. Census, various shifts become evident over the same ten-year span. Individuals of Asian or Pacific Islander background bearing the surname went up by 13.81 percent, shifting from 9.34 percent in 2000 to 10.63 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, the surname saw a decline among those identifying as White or belonging to two or more races. The percentage of Whites decreased by 15.05 percent, moving from 50.51 to 42.91, while the proportion of mixed-race individuals fell by 44.63 percent from 1.77 to 0.98. Interestingly, the largest increase was observed among the Hispanic community, where the prevalence of the surname rose by 20.12 percent, from 36.87 percent to 44.29 percent. The Prospero surname, however, did not appear at all among Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native populations during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 36.87% | 44.29% | 20.12% |
| White | 50.51% | 42.91% | -15.05% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 9.34% | 10.63% | 13.81% |
| Two or More Races | 1.77% | 0.98% | -44.63% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |