Bice
An Italian surname derived from the personal name Bici, a diminutive of Benedetto, meaning "blessed."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,952 Americans carry the last name Bice. That puts it at #5,117 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 43,103 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bice surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
8.0K
1 in 43,103
Census rank
#5,117
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,841 bearers of the surname Bice in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5117th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bice, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bice
The surname Bice has its origins in Italy, tracing back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bicio," which means "cross-eyed" or "squinting." This nickname likely referred to someone who had a distinctive facial feature or a squinting gaze.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Bice can be found in historical documents from various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Lombardy. Some of the earliest mentions of the surname date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, during the Renaissance period.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Bice di Calcavecchia was mentioned in the historical records of Florence. She was a noblewoman and a prominent figure in the city's cultural and social circles. Another early reference to the name can be found in the writings of the renowned Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who immortalized a character named Bice Portinari in his literary masterpiece, the Divine Comedy.
As the centuries passed, the Bice surname continued to be present in various parts of Italy. In the 16th century, a man named Giovanni Battista Bice was a renowned painter and architect from the city of Genoa. His works can still be admired in several churches and palaces throughout the region.
During the 17th century, a notable figure named Girolamo Bice was a prominent lawyer and legal scholar from Bologna. He authored several influential treatises on law and jurisprudence, which were widely studied and referenced by legal professionals of the time.
In the 18th century, a musician named Niccolò Bice gained recognition for his compositions and performances in the city of Milan. He was highly regarded for his expertise in opera and sacred music, and his works were performed in various theatres and churches across northern Italy.
Another notable individual with the surname Bice was Luisa Bice, a 19th-century writer and poet from Tuscany. Her collection of poems and literary works gained widespread acclaim, and she was celebrated for her contribution to Italian literature during the Romantic period.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the surname Bice throughout the centuries, highlighting the rich heritage and diverse backgrounds associated with this Italian name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bice
Among Census respondents with the surname Bice, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bice bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bice surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0%
- Two or more races2.0%
- Black or African American1.9%
- Hispanic or Latino1.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bice surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,117 | #5,117 | 0.0% |
| Count | 6,841 | 6,841 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.32 | 2.32 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Bice bearers went from 6,841 to 6,841 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #5,117 to #5,117.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bice
FAQ
Bice surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bice?
The surname Bice holds position #5,117 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 7,952 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.32 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bice surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bice, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Black (1.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.