2000
#44,738
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 452
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.17
Rare Last name
Bisono
An Italian surname likely derived from the word "bisonte" meaning "bison".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,032 Americans carry the last name Bisono. That puts it at #28,233 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 332,126 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bisono 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
1.0K
1 in 332,126
Census rank
#28,233
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
900
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 900 bearers of the surname Bisono in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 28233rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bisono, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Black (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bisono
The surname BISONO is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Italy during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to have derived from the Italian word "bisonte," which means "bison" or "buffalo." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived near or worked with these animals.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name BISONO can be found in a document from the city of Bologna, dated 1324. This document mentions a certain "Giovanni Bisono," who was a landowner and farmer in the region. It is possible that this individual or his ancestors were involved in the raising or trading of bison or buffalo, which could explain the origin of the surname.
In the 15th century, the name BISONO appeared in several historical records from the town of Verona, indicating that the family had spread to different parts of northern Italy. One notable individual from this era was Bartolomeo Bisono (1427-1493), a respected merchant and banker who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.
As the centuries passed, the name BISONO continued to be found in various regions of Italy, with some individuals achieving notable status. In the 16th century, there was a renowned painter named Girolamo Bisono (1504-1572) from the city of Venice, whose works can still be found in several Italian museums and churches.
Another prominent figure was Francesco Bisono (1634-1712), a theologian and scholar from Naples who authored several influential books on religious philosophy and ethics. His writings were widely studied and discussed in academic circles throughout Europe during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
In more recent times, the name BISONO has been carried by individuals such as Giulio Bisono (1892-1965), an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 1948 to 1958. Additionally, there was Mario Bisono (1920-2003), a celebrated Italian novelist and poet whose works explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.
While these are just a few examples, the surname BISONO has a rich history spanning several centuries and regions of Italy. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, and it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, artists, scholars, and political figures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bisono
Among Census respondents with the surname Bisono, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Black (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bisono 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 Bisono surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.6% · 869
- White2.6% · 23
- Black or African American0.4% · 4
- Two or more races0.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bisono
Bisono 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
#29,422
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 803
+351 bearers (+77.7%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Up 15,316 places
2020
#28,233
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 900
+97 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Up 1,189 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #44,738 | 452 | 0.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,422 | 803 | 0.27 | +351 bearers (+77.7%) | Up 15,316 places |
| 2020 | #28,233 | 900 | 0.30 | +97 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 1,189 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 Bisono 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 | #29,422 | #28,233 | 4.0% |
| Count | 803 | 900 | 12.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.30 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bisono bearers went from 803 to 900 (+12.1% change). The surname moved up 1,189 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,422 to #28,233.
FAQ
Bisono surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bisono?
Name Census estimates that about 1,032 living Americans carry the surname Bisono. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 332,126 residents.
How common is Bisono?
Bisono ranks #28,233 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.30 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 900 people with the surname Bisono. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,032), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.30 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 Bisono.
Has Bisono become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bisono went from 803 recorded bearers to 900. That is an increase of 97 (+12.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #29,422 to #28,233.
What does the Census say about the background of Bisono?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bisono, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.6%. The next largest groups are White (2.6%) and Black (0.4%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bisono in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (869 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bisono appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (96.6%), White (2.6%), Black (0.4%). 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 Bisono (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 Bisono mean?
An Italian surname likely derived from the word "bisonte" meaning "bison". 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 Bisono (0.30 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 Americans have the surname Bisono?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.