2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bonamico
An Italian surname derived from the phrase "buon amico" meaning "good friend".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Bonamico. 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 Bonamico 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 Bonamico 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 Bonamico, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bonamico
The surname Bonamico is of Italian origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna in central Italy.
The name Bonamico is derived from the Italian words "buono" meaning good and "amico" meaning friend, essentially translating to "good friend." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or byname to someone who was considered a loyal and trustworthy companion.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Bonamico can be found in the Florentine Priorista, a historical document from the 14th century that lists the names of citizens who held public offices in Florence. In this record, there is an entry for a certain Bonamico di Lapo, who served as a member of the Priori delle Arti (Guild of Arts) in 1356.
The Bonamico surname can also be found in other historical documents from various parts of Italy, such as the Catasto Fiorentino, a tax record from 1427 that includes the name Bonamico Bartolini, a resident of Florence at that time.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the name Bonamico was Lazzaro Bonamico (c. 1479-1552), an Italian humanist, philosopher, and historian from Bassano del Grappa. He is known for his works on the history of the ancient city of Padua and for his translations of Greek texts.
Another significant individual with the surname Bonamico was Filippo Bonamico (1588-1659), an Italian Jesuit scholar and writer from Sarravalle di Lesignano in the Emilia-Romagna region. He authored several works on religious and philosophical subjects.
In the 18th century, Giuseppe Bonamico (1705-1782) was a renowned Italian architect and engineer from Bologna. He is best known for his work on the construction of the Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna and for his contributions to the development of hydraulic engineering.
The name Bonamico can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as France and Spain, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have migrated or established branches in these regions over time.
Overall, the surname Bonamico has a rich history rooted in medieval Italy, with its origins possibly stemming from a descriptive nickname or byname that was later adopted as a hereditary surname. It has been borne by notable individuals in various fields throughout the centuries, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carry this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bonamico
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonamico, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bonamico 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 Bonamico surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.4% · 99
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bonamico
Bonamico 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+16 bearers (+16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,287 places
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+16.0%) | Up 7,287 places |
| 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 Bonamico 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 Bonamico 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
Bonamico surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bonamico?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Bonamico. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Bonamico?
Bonamico 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 Bonamico. 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 Bonamico.
Has Bonamico become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bonamico 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 Bonamico?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonamico, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Bonamico in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.4% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bonamico appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.4%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Bonamico (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 Bonamico mean?
An Italian surname derived from the phrase "buon amico" meaning "good friend". 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 Bonamico (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 many people have the surname Bonamico?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.