Find out how popular the last name Alto is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alto.

Alto, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alto in America

Alto is the 28650th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alto surname appeared 832 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alto to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alto

The surname ALTO has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is derived from the Italian word "alto," which means "high" or "tall," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone of a tall stature or someone who lived in a high or elevated area.

The earliest recorded instances of the ALTO surname can be found in various historical documents from regions like Tuscany, Lombardy, and Veneto. In some cases, the name appeared with slight variations in spelling, such as "Alti" or "Altos," reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

One notable historical reference to the ALTO surname is found in the "Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà Italiana" (The Golden Book of Italian Nobility), a compilation of noble families in Italy. This record includes several ALTO families, indicating their prominent status in various Italian cities during the Renaissance period.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the ALTO surname is Giovanni Alto, a merchant and politician from Genoa, who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure is Matteo Alto, a renowned architect from Verona, who designed several churches and palaces in the 15th century.

During the 16th century, the ALTO family gained prominence in the Republic of Venice, with several members holding influential positions in the government and military. One such individual was Marco Antonio Alto, a Venetian admiral who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.

In the realm of arts and literature, the ALTO surname is associated with the Italian poet and playwright Girolamo Alto, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His works, which included plays and sonnets, were widely celebrated during his lifetime.

Another notable figure was Lorenzo Alto, a renowned painter from Florence, who lived in the 17th century and was known for his religious works and portraits commissioned by noble families and churches.

Throughout history, the ALTO surname has also been linked to various place names, such as the town of Alto Reno in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, which may have contributed to the surname's origin or spread.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alto

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alto.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alto was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alto has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Alto was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alto, please contact us.

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