2000
#11,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,435
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Como
Derived from the Italian place name Como, likely referring to someone who originated from that city or region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,620 Americans carry the last name Como. That puts it at #12,872 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 130,822 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Como 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
2.6K
1 in 130,822
Census rank
#12,872
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,285 bearers of the surname Como in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12872nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Como, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Como
The surname Como is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "comis," meaning "friendly" or "courteous." The name may also be linked to the city of Como in northern Italy, which is situated on the shores of Lake Como.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Como can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Comitus." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname or a descriptive term used to refer to someone with a friendly or affable demeanor.
In the 14th century, the name Como started to gain more prominence, particularly in the region around the city of Como itself. During this time, the spellings "Commo" and "Comó" also emerged, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.
One notable figure from this period was Simone Como, a merchant and banker who lived in the city of Como in the late 14th century. His business dealings and influence within the local community may have contributed to the spread and recognition of the surname.
By the 15th century, the name Como had become firmly established in various parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Veneto. Records from this period show individuals with the surname Como holding positions of authority, such as landowners, magistrates, and members of the clergy.
In the 16th century, the artist Giovanni Paolo Como (1537-1592) gained recognition for his paintings and frescoes, many of which can still be found in churches and buildings throughout Italy. His work is often cited as a significant example of the Renaissance art style.
Another notable figure bearing the surname Como was Domenico Como (1617-1687), a Baroque composer and organist who was born in the city of Como and spent much of his career in Venice, where he contributed to the development of the Venetian polychoral style.
In the 19th century, the Italian writer and philosopher Ippolito Como (1808-1879) gained widespread acclaim for his philosophical works and his contributions to the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification.
Throughout history, the surname Como has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, writers, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Como
Among Census respondents with the surname Como, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Como 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 Como surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.4% · 1,882
- Black or African American6.5% · 148
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 124
- Two or more races4.0% · 91
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Como
Como 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
#12,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,490
+55 bearers (+2.3%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 686 places
2020
#12,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,285
-205 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 405 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,781 | 2,435 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,467 | 2,490 | 0.84 | +55 bearers (+2.3%) | Down 686 places |
| 2020 | #12,872 | 2,285 | 0.76 | -205 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 405 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 Como 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 | #12,467 | #12,872 | -3.2% |
| Count | 2,490 | 2,285 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.84 | 0.76 | -9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Como bearers went from 2,490 to 2,285 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 405 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,467 to #12,872.
FAQ
Como surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Como?
Name Census estimates that about 2,620 living Americans carry the surname Como. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 130,822 residents.
How common is Como?
Como ranks #12,872 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,285 people with the surname Como. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,620), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.76 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Como.
Has Como become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Como went from 2,490 recorded bearers to 2,285. That is a decrease of 205 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,467 to #12,872.
What does the Census say about the background of Como?
Among Census respondents with the surname Como, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.4%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (5.4%). 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 Como in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.4% (1,882 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Como appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.4%), Black (6.5%), Hispanic (5.4%). 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 Como (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 Como mean?
Derived from the Italian place name Como, likely referring to someone who originated from that city or region. 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 Como (0.76 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 Como?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.