2000
#4,059
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,051
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.98
Rare Last name
Battaglia
An Italian occupational surname referring to someone who engaged in battles or fights.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 8,988 Americans carry the last name Battaglia. That puts it at #4,376 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 38,135 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Battaglia 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 Battaglia with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.0K
1 in 38,135
Census rank
#4,376
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
7.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,838 bearers of the surname Battaglia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4376th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Battaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Battaglia
The surname Battaglia originates from Italy, where it first appeared in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "battaglia," meaning "battle" or "combat," suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who fought in battles or was a soldier.
Battaglia is a relatively common name in Italy, particularly in the regions of Sicily and Calabria. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical records from these areas, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Battaglia surname was Niccolò Battaglia, a Sicilian nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 14th century. He gained prominence for his role in the Wars of the Sicilian Vespers, a conflict between the Aragonese and the Angevins over the control of Sicily.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various documents related to the Italian Wars, a series of conflicts that involved many Italian city-states and foreign powers. For example, there are records of a Captain Battaglia from Naples who fought for the Spanish forces during the Italian War of 1535-1538.
Another notable figure with the Battaglia surname was Giovanni Battista Battaglia, an Italian painter and sculptor who lived in the 17th century (1630-1705). He was born in Palermo, Sicily, and is known for his works in churches and palaces across Italy, including the Church of San Cataldo in Palermo.
In the 18th century, the name Battaglia can be found in records related to the Napoleonic Wars. One such individual was Antonio Battaglia (1771-1825), an Italian general who served in the Neapolitan army and fought against the French forces during the Napoleonic occupation of Naples.
Throughout history, the Battaglia surname has also been associated with various places and geographical features. For example, there is a town called Battaglia Terme in the province of Padua, Veneto, which likely takes its name from the Italian word "battaglia" due to a significant battle that occurred there in the past.
While the Battaglia surname is primarily of Italian origin, it has also been adopted by families in other countries, particularly those with Italian heritage or connections to Italy. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to the name can be traced back to its roots in Italy, where it has been present for centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Battaglia
Among Census respondents with the surname Battaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Battaglia 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 Battaglia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 7,179
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 395
- Two or more races2.2% · 172
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 50
- Black or African American0.4% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Battaglia
Battaglia 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
#4,279
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,308
+257 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 2.82
Rank movement Down 220 places
2020
#4,376
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,838
-470 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 2.62
Rank movement Down 97 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,059 | 8,051 | 2.98 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,279 | 8,308 | 2.82 | +257 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 220 places |
| 2020 | #4,376 | 7,838 | 2.62 | -470 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 97 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 Battaglia 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 | #4,279 | #4,376 | -2.3% |
| Count | 8,308 | 7,838 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 2.82 | 2.62 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Battaglia bearers went from 8,308 to 7,838 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 97 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,279 to #4,376.
FAQ
Battaglia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Battaglia?
Name Census estimates that about 8,988 living Americans carry the surname Battaglia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 38,135 residents.
How common is Battaglia?
Battaglia ranks #4,376 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,838 people with the surname Battaglia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (8,988), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Battaglia.
Has Battaglia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Battaglia went from 8,308 recorded bearers to 7,838. That is a decrease of 470 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,279 to #4,376.
What does the Census say about the background of Battaglia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Battaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Battaglia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (7,179 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Battaglia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Battaglia (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 Battaglia mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to someone who engaged in battles or fights. 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 Battaglia (2.62 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 Battaglia?
You can see how many people have the surname Battaglia on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.