2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bettega
A surname with Italian origins, potentially derived from 'bettola' meaning a tavern or inn.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Bettega. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bettega 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Bettega in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettega, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (15.8%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bettega
The surname Bettega originated in Italy, specifically in the northern region of Trentino-Alto Adige. It likely dates back to the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Italian word "bettega," which means "workshop" or "shop," suggesting that the family's ancestors may have been artisans or craftsmen.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bettega can be found in a document from the 15th century, which mentions a certain Giacomo Bettega, a resident of the town of Riva del Garda. This town, located on the shores of Lake Garda, was an important trading center during the Renaissance period, and it is possible that the Bettega family was involved in the local crafts or commerce.
In the 16th century, the name Bettega appears in several historical records from the region, including birth and marriage registers. One notable figure from this period was Bartolomeo Bettega, a wealthy merchant from the city of Trento, who lived between 1520 and 1588. He is known for his philanthropic contributions and for commissioning the construction of a church in his hometown.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw the Bettega family spread across the wider Trentino-Alto Adige region, with branches established in various towns and villages. During this time, the name was sometimes spelled slightly differently, such as "Bettegha" or "Bettegua," reflecting local dialects and variations in pronunciation.
In the 19th century, a prominent member of the Bettega family was Giuseppe Bettega, born in 1822 in the town of Arco. He was a renowned painter and sculptor, known for his religious works and portraits. His artwork can be found in several churches and museums throughout the region.
Another notable figure was Vittorio Bettega, a successful businessman and industrialist born in Trento in 1863. He founded a successful manufacturing company that produced construction materials, and his descendants continued to run the family business for several generations.
Moving into the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Bettega was Attilio Bettega, a skilled rally driver who competed in the World Rally Championship from the 1970s to the 1980s. He was born in Trentino in 1953 and tragically passed away in 1985 after a crash during the Tour de Corse rally.
Throughout its history, the surname Bettega has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from merchants and artisans to artists and industrialists. While its exact origins may be somewhat obscured by time, the name remains deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bettega
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettega, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (15.8%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bettega 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 Bettega surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.2% · 79
- American Indian and Alaska Native15.8% · 16
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bettega
Bettega 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-17 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 26,791 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,964 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 26,791 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 1,964 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 Bettega 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 | #157,234 | #155,270 | 1.2% |
| Count | 103 | 101 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bettega bearers went from 103 to 101 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 1,964 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #155,270.
FAQ
Bettega surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bettega?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Bettega. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Bettega?
Bettega ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Bettega. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Bettega.
Has Bettega become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bettega went from 103 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Bettega?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bettega, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (15.8%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Bettega in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.2% (79 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bettega appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (15.8%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Bettega (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 Bettega mean?
A surname with Italian origins, potentially derived from 'bettola' meaning a tavern or inn. 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 Bettega (0.03 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 have the surname Bettega?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.