Explore the Family Name Vaccaro
The meaning of Vaccaro
Italian: occupational name for a cowherd, Italian vaccaro (from Late Latin vaccarius, a derivative of vacca ‘cow’). Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Sal, Salvatore, Vito, Antonio, Pasquale, Gaetano, Calogero, Donato, Enrico, Guido, Santo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Vaccaro in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Vaccaro has seen a slight shift in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In the year 2000, Vaccaro was ranked 4828 in terms of popularity and this rank slipped to 5169 in 2010, marking a decline of 7.06%. However, despite this slip in rank, the actual count of people with the Vaccaro surname slightly increased from 6672 in 2000 to 6766 in 2010, representing an increase of 1.41%. As a proportion per 100k people, the presence of the surname Vaccaro decreased by 7.29% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,828 | #5,169 | -7.06% |
| Count | 6,672 | 6,766 | 1.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.47 | 2.29 | -7.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Vaccaro
Regarding the ethnic identity of those with the Vaccaro surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. Predominantly, individuals with the surname Vaccaro identified as White, although this percentage decreased slightly from 96.07% in 2000 to 93.79% in 2010. There were notable increases in the percentages of individuals identifying as Hispanic or Black, with these groups seeing rises of 90.38% and 72.22% respectively. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also rose from 0.39% to 0.64%. The proportions of Vaccaros identifying as two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native both saw decreases, by 4.17% and 46.15% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.07% | 93.79% | -2.37% |
| Hispanic | 2.08% | 3.96% | 90.38% |
| Two or More Races | 0.96% | 0.92% | -4.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.39% | 0.64% | 64.1% |
| Black | 0.36% | 0.62% | 72.22% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.13% | 0.07% | -46.15% |
Vaccaro 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 Vaccaro is Italian, which comprises 41.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (23.7%) and French & German (14.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Greek & Balkan.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 41.7% |
| British & Irish | 23.7% |
| French & German | 14.2% |
| Other | 20.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Vaccaro
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 Vaccaro 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 | 67.50% |
| Campania, Italy | 65.10% |
| Calabria, Italy | 63.20% |
| Abruzzo, Italy | 58.00% |
| Apulia, Italy | 56.10% |
What Vaccaro 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 Vaccaro is J-L26, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-L26 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include J-M67 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Digiovanni, Martinelli, Donato, D'Angelo, Campagna, Montgomery, Piazza, Luciano, Otero, Fleischer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Vaccaro surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your 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 Vaccaro 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.
"Vaccaro" Surname 36.1%
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.
"Vaccaro" Surname 23.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Vaccaro" Surname 16.9%
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.
"Vaccaro" Surname 7.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Vaccaro?
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 Vaccaro are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition