2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cetto
An Italian surname derived from a nickname meaning "fat" or "chubby".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Cetto. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cetto 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Cetto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cetto, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cetto
The surname CETTO is of Italian origin, originating in the southern regions of the country during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "cetus," meaning "whale" or "sea monster." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals who lived near the coast or worked in professions related to the sea.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CETTO surname can be traced back to the 13th century. In a document from the city of Naples, dated 1278, a certain Genovese CETTO is mentioned as a merchant involved in the trade of fish and other seafood. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the area and possibly linked to maritime activities.
During the Renaissance period, the CETTO family gained prominence in the city of Salerno, located in the Campania region. Historical records from the 15th century mention a nobleman named Girolamo CETTO, who served as a magistrate and held significant influence in local affairs. His son, Guglielmo CETTO (1487-1559), was a renowned scholar and humanist who contributed to the cultural and intellectual life of the time.
In the 17th century, a branch of the CETTO family settled in Sicily, where they became involved in the production and export of citrus fruits, particularly lemons. One notable figure from this period was Vincenzo CETTO (1623-1698), a successful merchant and landowner who established a thriving business and left a lasting impact on the local economy.
Another prominent individual bearing the CETTO surname was Antonio CETTO (1761-1835), a military officer and diplomat who served in the Napoleonic era. Born in Naples, he played a key role in the negotiations between the Kingdom of Naples and the French Empire, earning recognition for his diplomatic skills.
In more recent times, the CETTO name has been associated with scientific and academic pursuits. Renato CETTO (1923-2015) was an Italian-Mexican physicist known for his contributions to the field of electromagnetism and his work on the foundations of quantum mechanics. He spent most of his career as a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Throughout its history, the CETTO surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Italy, particularly in the south. While its origins can be traced back to coastal areas and maritime connections, the name has also been associated with diverse professions and achievements over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cetto
Among Census respondents with the surname Cetto, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Cetto 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 Cetto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.3% · 82
- Hispanic or Latino28.7% · 33
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cetto
Cetto 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
#127,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 134
+19 bearers (+16.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 7,435 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-19 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,263 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #127,494 | 134 | 0.05 | +19 bearers (+16.5%) | Up 7,435 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 18,263 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 Cetto 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 | #127,494 | #145,757 | -14.3% |
| Count | 134 | 115 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -23.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cetto bearers went from 134 to 115 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 18,263 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,494 to #145,757.
FAQ
Cetto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cetto?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Cetto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Cetto?
Cetto ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Cetto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Cetto.
Has Cetto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cetto went from 134 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 19 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #127,494 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Cetto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cetto, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (28.7%). 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 Cetto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.3% (82 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cetto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.3%), Hispanic (28.7%). 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 Cetto (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 Cetto mean?
An Italian surname derived from a nickname meaning "fat" or "chubby". 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 Cetto (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 are called Cetto?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Cetto, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.