Find out how popular the last name Breto is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Breto.

Breto, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Breto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Breto in America

Breto is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Breto surname appeared 140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Breto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Breto to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Breto

The surname BRETO has its origins in the northeastern region of Italy, particularly in the areas around the city of Venice and the surrounding provinces. It is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "breto," which means "stonemason" or "bricklayer," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in the construction or masonry trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BRETO surname can be found in the historical records of the Republic of Venice, where a certain Niccolò Breto is mentioned as a skilled stonemason who worked on the construction of the iconic St. Mark's Basilica in the late 14th century. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname during that time period.

In the 15th century, the BRETO surname appears in several documents related to the city of Padua, where a family of stonemasons bearing this name was actively involved in the construction and restoration of various churches and public buildings. Among the notable members of this family was Antonio Breto, who worked on the reconstruction of the Church of the Eremitani in the late 15th century.

During the Renaissance period, the BRETO surname gained further recognition through the works of the prominent architect and sculptor Pietro Breto, who was born in Venice in 1480. Pietro Breto's most notable contribution was his work on the construction of the Palazzo Ducale, the iconic palace that serves as the residence of the Doge of Venice.

Another notable figure with the BRETO surname was Girolamo Breto, a Venetian painter who lived in the 16th century. While not as renowned as some of his contemporaries, Girolamo Breto's works can still be found in several churches and galleries throughout the Veneto region of Italy.

In the 17th century, the BRETO surname appears in records from the city of Verona, where a family of stonemasons bearing this name was involved in the construction and restoration of several notable buildings, including the famous Arena di Verona, an ancient Roman amphitheater.

While the BRETO surname is predominantly found in northeastern Italy, particularly in the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, it has also spread to other parts of the country and beyond over the centuries due to migration and intermarriage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Breto

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Breto.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Breto was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Breto has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Breto was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Breto, please contact us.

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