2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Christofano
Italian surname meaning "little Christian" or "little bearer of Christ".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Christofano. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Christofano 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Christofano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Christofano, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Christofano
The surname Christofano is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, where variations of the name were commonly found.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Christofano can be found in the 14th century Florentine tax records, where a certain Giovanni Christofano is listed as a merchant and landowner. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a certain level of prominence and wealth during that era.
The name Christofano is derived from the Italian form of the Greek name Christophoros, which translates to "Christ-bearer." This likely stems from the legend of Saint Christopher, who is revered as the patron saint of travelers and transporters. The name's religious connotations may indicate that early bearers of the surname were devout Christians or perhaps had professions related to transportation or travel.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Bartolomeo Christofano di Gherardo was a renowned painter and sculptor based in Florence. His works, including frescoes and altarpieces, can still be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy, showcasing the artistic talents associated with this surname.
During the Renaissance period, the Christofano family of Siena produced several notable figures, including the humanist scholar and diplomat Agostino Christofano (1470-1535). He served as an ambassador for the Republic of Siena and was highly regarded for his literary and diplomatic abilities.
Another prominent bearer of the Christofano name was the 16th-century architect and engineer Girolamo Christofano (1510-1570). He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in Rome, including the Church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini and the Palazzo Borghese.
In the 18th century, the Christofano family of Naples produced a renowned musician and composer, Gaetano Christofano (1725-1789). He was known for his operas and sacred works, which were performed throughout Italy and gained him widespread recognition as a talented composer of his time.
While the surname Christofano may not be as widespread today as it once was, its rich history and connections to various fields, from art and literature to architecture and music, have left an indelible mark on Italian culture and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Christofano
Among Census respondents with the surname Christofano, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Christofano 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 Christofano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.1% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Christofano
Christofano 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,639 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,787 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,639 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,787 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 Christofano 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 | #149,395 | #154,182 | -3.2% |
| Count | 110 | 103 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Christofano bearers went from 110 to 103 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,787 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #154,182.
FAQ
Christofano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Christofano?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Christofano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Christofano?
Christofano ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Christofano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Christofano.
Has Christofano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Christofano went from 110 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Christofano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Christofano, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (1.0%). 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 Christofano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Christofano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.1%), Hispanic (1.9%), Black (1.0%). 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 Christofano (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 Christofano mean?
Italian surname meaning "little Christian" or "little bearer of Christ". 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 Christofano (0.03 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 share the surname Christofano?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.