2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bonamassa
An Italian surname meaning "good harvest" or "abundant yield".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bonamassa. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bonamassa 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Bonamassa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonamassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bonamassa
The surname BONAMASSA has its origins in Italy, emerging in the region of Tuscany during the late medieval period. Derived from the Italian phrase "bona massa," which translates to "good mass" or "good batch," the name likely referred to an individual or family associated with the production or distribution of high-quality agricultural goods or food products.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BONAMASSA surname can be found in the historic archives of Florence, where a document from the 13th century mentions a merchant named Giovanni Bonamassa who dealt in the trade of fine wines and olive oils. This connection to the agricultural and culinary traditions of the region may have contributed to the surname's endurance over the centuries.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the BONAMASSA name was Luca Bonamassa, a skilled artisan and sculptor from the city of Siena. His intricate woodcarvings adorned several churches and cathedrals throughout central Italy, and his work is still celebrated by art historians today.
During the Renaissance period, the BONAMASSA family gained prominence in the city of Pisa, where they established themselves as respected members of the local nobility. Historians have uncovered records of a Giovanni Bonamassa di Pisa, who served as a diplomat and advisor to the ruling Medici family in the late 15th century.
As the BONAMASSA surname spread throughout Italy, it also found roots in other parts of Europe. In the 16th century, a branch of the family settled in the Spanish region of Catalonia, where they adopted the spelling "Bonamasa." One notable figure from this lineage was Jaume Bonamasa, a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Barcelona during the early 17th century.
Moving forward in time, the 18th century saw the birth of Claudio Bonamassa, a celebrated composer and musician from Naples. His operas and symphonies were widely performed throughout Europe, and he is credited with influencing the development of the Neapolitan school of music.
Over the centuries, the BONAMASSA surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of its history and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bonamassa
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonamassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Bonamassa 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 Bonamassa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.9% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino10.4% · 11
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bonamassa
Bonamassa 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
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-10 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 9,190 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 Bonamassa 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 | #143,149 | #152,339 | -6.4% |
| Count | 116 | 106 | -8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bonamassa bearers went from 116 to 106 (-8.6% change). The surname moved down 9,190 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #152,339.
FAQ
Bonamassa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bonamassa?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bonamassa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bonamassa?
Bonamassa ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Bonamassa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Bonamassa.
Has Bonamassa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bonamassa went from 116 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Bonamassa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonamassa, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.4%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bonamassa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.9% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bonamassa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.9%), Hispanic (10.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Bonamassa (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 Bonamassa mean?
An Italian surname meaning "good harvest" or "abundant yield". 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 Bonamassa (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 common is the surname Bonamassa?
If you just want to know how common the surname Bonamassa is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.