Explore the Family Name Tantalo

The meaning of Tantalo

Italian: from a nickname or perhaps humanistic personal name based on classical Greek Tantalos, the name of a mythological king of Sipylos, who offended the gods and was punished in the underworld by being forced to stand up to his neck in water, which sank down whenever he tried to drink it. It may be a nickname for someone who was tantalized. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Lazzaro, Angelo, Carmine, Domenic.

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

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

According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Tantalo saw a marked increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name ranked as the 84,631st most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen in the ranks to become the 79,075th most common surname in the United States, marking a 6.56% change. In terms of actual count, the number of individuals with the Tantalo surname increased from 206 in 2000 to 241 in 2010, showing an approximate 17% growth. Despite these changes, the proportion of the Tantalo surname per 100,000 people remained consistent at 0.08.

20002010Change
Rank#84,631#79,0756.56%
Count20624116.99%
Proportion per 100k0.080.080%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tantalo

In terms of ethnic identity, the majority of individuals with the Tantalo surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. This demographic represented 95.63% in 2000 and slightly increased to 95.85% in 2010. The second most common ethnicity associated with the Tantalo surname was Hispanic, accounting for 3.40% in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 3.32% in 2010. There were no recorded instances of this surname within the Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native categories in either year.

20002010Change
White95.63%95.85%0.23%
Hispanic3.4%3.32%-2.35%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%