2000
#12,630
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,249
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Amico
An Italian surname derived from the word "amico," meaning "friend" or someone who is friendly and amiable.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,237 Americans carry the last name Amico. That puts it at #14,652 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 153,221 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Amico surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Amico with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 153,221
Census rank
#14,652
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,951 bearers of the surname Amico in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14652nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Amico, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Amico
The surname AMICO is of Italian origin, originating in the northern regions of Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "amico," meaning "friend" or "companion." The name likely evolved as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was known for their friendly nature or companionable qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the AMICO surname can be found in the historic city of Venice, where a family bearing this name resided as early as the 13th century. Records from this time period indicate that the AMICO family held positions of prominence within the Venetian Republic, with members serving as merchants, diplomats, and even religious figures.
In the 14th century, the AMICO name appeared in various manuscripts and records across northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. These records often referenced individuals with the AMICO surname engaged in various professions, such as artisans, traders, and landowners.
During the Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the AMICO surname. For instance, Gian Battista Amico (1541-1610) was a renowned Italian physician and humanist scholar from Lucca, known for his contributions to the field of medicine and his literary works on topics ranging from philosophy to history.
Another prominent figure was Vito Maria Amico (1670-1755), a Sicilian historian and archaeologist who authored several important works on the history and antiquities of Sicily, including his magnum opus, "Lexicon Topographicum Siculum."
In the 18th century, the AMICO name gained further recognition with the birth of Girolamo Amico (1701-1791), an Italian architect and engineer from Naples. Amico was responsible for the design and construction of numerous churches, palaces, and public buildings throughout southern Italy, many of which still stand today as testaments to his architectural prowess.
Beyond Italy, the AMICO surname also found its way to other parts of Europe and the Americas through migration and settlement. For example, in the late 19th century, a family by the name of Amico settled in New Orleans, Louisiana, where they established a successful business in the food and hospitality industry.
Throughout its rich history, the AMICO surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, from scholars and artists to entrepreneurs and tradespeople. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, the name has since spread across the globe, carrying with it the connotation of friendship and camaraderie.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Amico
Among Census respondents with the surname Amico, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Amico bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Amico surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.6% · 1,749
- Hispanic or Latino6.0% · 118
- Two or more races2.4% · 46
- Black or African American1.3% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Amico
Amico appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,517
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,244
-5 bearers (-0.2%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 887 places
2020
#14,652
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,951
-293 bearers (-13.1%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 1,135 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,630 | 2,249 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,517 | 2,244 | 0.76 | -5 bearers (-0.2%) | Down 887 places |
| 2020 | #14,652 | 1,951 | 0.65 | -293 bearers (-13.1%) | Down 1,135 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Amico surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,517 | #14,652 | -8.4% |
| Count | 2,244 | 1,951 | -13.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.65 | -14.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Amico bearers went from 2,244 to 1,951 (-13.1% change). The surname moved down 1,135 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,517 to #14,652.
FAQ
Amico surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Amico?
Name Census estimates that about 2,237 living Americans carry the surname Amico. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 153,221 residents.
How common is Amico?
Amico ranks #14,652 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.65 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,951 people with the surname Amico. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,237), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.65 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.65 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Amico.
Has Amico become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Amico went from 2,244 recorded bearers to 1,951. That is a decrease of 293 (-13.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,517 to #14,652.
What does the Census say about the background of Amico?
Among Census respondents with the surname Amico, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Amico in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (1,749 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Amico appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.6%), Hispanic (6.0%), Two or More Races (2.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Amico (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Amico mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "amico," meaning "friend" or someone who is friendly and amiable. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Amico (0.65 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Amico?
You can see how common the surname Amico is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.