2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Balascio
An Italian surname possibly derived from a nickname related to the word "balausta" meaning pomegranate flower.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Balascio. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Balascio 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.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Balascio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Balascio, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Balascio
The surname Balascio has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Calabria. It dates back to the late 15th or early 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Italian word "balascio," which means a type of precious gemstone, possibly referring to the ruby or garnet. This could indicate that the name may have been associated with someone who worked with or traded in these precious stones.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Balascio can be found in a document from the town of Reggio Calabria, dated 1512, which mentions a certain Giovanni Balascio. In the 17th century, the name appears in several records from the village of Delianuova, located in the province of Reggio Calabria, suggesting that the family may have had roots in this area.
The Balascio surname is also closely linked to the town of Bova Marina, a coastal community in the province of Reggio Calabria. Historical records from the late 18th century mention several individuals with this surname residing in Bova Marina, including a prominent local figure named Domenico Balascio, who lived from 1745 to 1823.
In the 19th century, a notable individual bearing the Balascio surname was Giuseppe Balascio, who was born in Bova Marina in 1825. He was a renowned poet and scholar, and his works were widely acclaimed in literary circles of the time.
Another prominent figure with the Balascio surname was Antonio Balascio, born in Delianuova in 1872. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the local community and his support of educational initiatives.
Moving into the early 20th century, the name Balascio gained recognition through the works of Vincenzo Balascio, a writer and journalist born in Bova Marina in 1901. His novels and articles provided valuable insights into the culture and traditions of the Calabrian region.
Throughout its history, the Balascio surname has retained a strong association with its roots in the Italian region of Calabria, particularly in the areas around Reggio Calabria, Delianuova, and Bova Marina. While the exact meaning and origin of the name may have evolved over time, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of this part of Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Balascio
Among Census respondents with the surname Balascio, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Balascio 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 Balascio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 99
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Balascio
Balascio appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-3 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,457 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 1,457 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 Balascio 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 | #151,532 | #152,989 | -1.0% |
| Count | 108 | 105 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Balascio bearers went from 108 to 105 (-2.8% change). The surname moved down 1,457 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #152,989.
FAQ
Balascio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Balascio?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Balascio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Balascio?
Balascio ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Balascio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Balascio.
Has Balascio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Balascio went from 108 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Balascio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Balascio, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Balascio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Balascio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Balascio (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 Balascio mean?
An Italian surname possibly derived from a nickname related to the word "balausta" meaning pomegranate flower. 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 Balascio (0.04 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 share the surname Balascio?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.