Conte
An Italian occupational surname referring to a count or a manager of a feudal estate.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,146 Americans carry the last name Conte. That puts it at #4,061 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,782 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Conte surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
10K
1 in 33,782
Census rank
#4,061
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.7K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 8,744 bearers of the surname Conte in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4061st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Conte, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Conte
The surname Conte is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "conte" meaning "count" or "earl". It first emerged in the Middle Ages, particularly in the regions of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont.
The name Conte likely originated as a title bestowed upon nobility or those holding high-ranking positions in the feudal system. It may have been initially used as a descriptive surname to identify individuals associated with the noble rank of "count".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Conte can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of medieval documents from the Lombard era in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. The name appears in various spellings such as "Comite" and "Comitis".
In the 11th century, a notable figure bearing the name Conte was Guido Conte, a powerful nobleman from the city of Parma. He was a prominent figure during the conflicts between the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy.
Another early recorded instance of the surname Conte is found in the Liber Censuum, a papal census document from the late 12th century. It mentions a certain "Ildebrandus Conte" from the city of Tivoli.
During the Renaissance period, the Conte family played a significant role in the cultural and political life of Italy. One notable member was Jacopo Conte (1476-1558), a renowned Italian painter and architect from the city of Arezzo.
In the 18th century, the Conte surname gained prominence with the birth of Niccolò Conte (1718-1781), an Italian mathematician and philosopher from the city of Treviso. He made significant contributions to the field of calculus and is regarded as one of the founders of modern analytical mechanics.
Another illustrious figure bearing the Conte surname was Antonio Conte (1756-1844), an Italian botanist and naturalist from the region of Piedmont. He made valuable contributions to the study of plant life and is remembered for his extensive botanical research.
In the 20th century, the Conte surname gained further recognition with the birth of Gian Biagio Conte (1941-2023), an Italian philologist and academic from the city of Bergamo. He was a renowned scholar of Latin literature and made significant contributions to the field of literary criticism.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Conte
Among Census respondents with the surname Conte, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Conte bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Conte surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5%
- Hispanic or Latino5.1%
- Black or African American3.0%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- Two or more races1.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Conte surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,867 | #4,061 | -5.0% |
| Count | 8,435 | 8,744 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 3.13 | 2.96 | -5.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Conte bearers went from 8,435 to 8,744 (+3.7% change). The surname moved down 194 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,867 to #4,061.
FAQ
Conte surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Conte?
The surname Conte holds position #4,061 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 10,146 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 2.96 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Conte surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Conte, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.