2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Diesso
Italian surname potentially stemming from the Italian word "diesso" meaning twobyfour wood beams.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Diesso. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Diesso 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Diesso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Diesso, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Diesso
The surname DIESSO originated from Italy, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have roots in the northern Italian regions of Lombardy and Piedmont, particularly in the areas surrounding the city of Milan. The name may have derived from the Old Italian word "diesu," which means "back" or "behind." This could suggest that the surname was initially given to someone who lived or worked behind a certain location or landmark.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the DIESSO surname can be found in a document from the Milanese archives, dated 1387. This document refers to a person named Giovanni Diesso, a merchant who traded goods between Milan and neighboring cities. Another early reference is from a census record in the town of Pavia, dated 1412, which lists a family with the surname DIESSO residing in the area.
In the 16th century, the DIESSO name appeared in several historical records related to the city of Genoa. One notable individual was Gerolamo Diesso (1524-1591), a renowned artist and sculptor who contributed to the decoration of several churches and palaces in Genoa. His works can still be seen in the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata and the Palazzo Doria Tursi.
During the 17th century, the DIESSO surname spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Tuscany and Lazio. One prominent figure from this period was Carlo Diesso (1619-1687), a philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Rome. He wrote several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 18th century, the DIESSO name gained recognition in the field of medicine. Pietro Diesso (1742-1819) was a respected physician from Naples who made significant contributions to the study of infectious diseases. He published several treatises on the prevention and treatment of epidemics, which were widely read throughout Europe.
Another notable individual with the DIESSO surname was Giovanna Diesso (1785-1862), a celebrated opera singer from Milan. She performed at some of the most prestigious theaters in Italy, including La Scala, and was highly praised for her vocal talents and stage presence.
While the surname DIESSO is not among the most common in Italy, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and various fields, from art and philosophy to medicine and music. The name has left its mark on Italian culture and continues to be carried by families with deep-rooted ties to the country's past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Diesso
Among Census respondents with the surname Diesso, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Diesso 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 Diesso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Diesso
Diesso 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+8 bearers (+7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,416 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-7 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,797 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.2%) | Down 1,416 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 7,797 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 Diesso 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 | #140,157 | #147,954 | -5.6% |
| Count | 119 | 112 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Diesso bearers went from 119 to 112 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 7,797 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,954.
FAQ
Diesso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Diesso?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Diesso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Diesso?
Diesso ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Diesso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Diesso.
Has Diesso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Diesso went from 119 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Diesso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Diesso, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Diesso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Diesso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Hispanic (2.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Diesso (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 Diesso mean?
Italian surname potentially stemming from the Italian word "diesso" meaning twobyfour wood beams. 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 Diesso (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 have the last name Diesso?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Diesso, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.