Explore the Family Name Sapienza

The meaning of Sapienza

Italian (southern, mainly Sicily): from sapienza ‘wisdom’ (from Latin sapientia), used as a nickname or personal name of good omen. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Salvatore, Vito, Rocco, Santo, Angelo, Antonio, Sal, Alfio, Antonino, Carmelo, Franco.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Sapienza has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 13,618th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had fallen to the 14,409th spot, marking a decline of 5.81 percent. Despite this drop in rank, the number of individuals with the Sapienza surname actually increased from 2,044 in 2000 to 2,074 in 2010, signifying an increase of 1.47 percent. However, when it came to proportion per 100,000 people, there was a 7.89 percent decrease over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#13,618#14,409-5.81%
Count2,0442,0741.47%
Proportion per 100k0.760.7-7.89%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sapienza

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts among those carrying the Sapienza surname between 2000 and 2010. The majority identified as White, although this group saw a modest decrease from 97.02 percent to 95.52 percent. The Asian/Pacific Islander identity saw the largest growth, jumping from 0.29 percent to 0.53 percent. There was also a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, going from 1.57 percent to 2.56 percent. The percentage identifying as two or more races slightly decreased from 0.98 percent to 0.92 percent. No one with the surname Sapienza identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
White97.02%95.52%-1.55%
Hispanic1.57%2.56%63.06%
Two or More Races0.98%0.92%-6.12%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.29%0.53%82.76%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%