2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Dortona
An Italian surname derived from the city of Dortona (modern Borgo Val di Taro).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Dortona. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dortona 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Dortona in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dortona, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dortona
The surname DORTONA is of Italian origin, with its roots traceable back to the 13th century in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "Dortonia," which referred to a town or settlement located in the province of Siena.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DORTONA can be found in a historical manuscript dating back to 1287, where it appears as "Dortona de Siena," referring to a merchant from the town of Siena. This document suggests that the name was already well-established in the area during that time period.
In the 14th century, the name DORTONA gained prominence with the rise of a noble family bearing this surname. The Dortona family held significant influence in the city of Florence and surrounding areas, with records indicating their involvement in local politics and trade.
A notable figure from this era was Giacomo DORTONA, a wealthy merchant and banker who lived from 1320 to 1395. He was known for his philanthropic efforts, contributing to the construction of several churches and public buildings in Florence.
During the Renaissance period, the DORTONA name continued to be associated with artistic and scholarly pursuits. One such individual was Lorenzo DORTONA (1452-1519), a renowned painter and fresco artist who worked on several commissions for the Medici family and other prominent patrons.
In the 16th century, the name DORTONA appeared in connection with a small village near Siena, known as Dortona di Montepulciano. This village was home to a branch of the Dortona family, and the name likely originated from this location.
Another prominent figure with the DORTONA surname was Giovanni DORTONA (1578-1644), a Jesuit priest and scholar who authored several influential works on theology and philosophy during the Counter-Reformation era.
As the centuries progressed, the DORTONA name spread beyond its Tuscan origins, with branches of the family establishing themselves in various parts of Italy and even venturing abroad. However, the name's strongest ties remained in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, where it continues to be found today.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dortona
Among Census respondents with the surname Dortona, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Dortona 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 Dortona surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.7% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 8
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dortona
Dortona appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Up 5,125 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 Dortona 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 | #144,270 | 3.4% |
| Count | 110 | 117 | 6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dortona bearers went from 110 to 117 (+6.4% change). The surname moved up 5,125 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #144,270.
FAQ
Dortona surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dortona?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Dortona. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Dortona?
Dortona ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Dortona. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Dortona.
Has Dortona become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dortona went from 110 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 7 (+6.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Dortona?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dortona, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Dortona in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.7% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dortona appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.7%), Hispanic (6.8%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Dortona (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 Dortona mean?
An Italian surname derived from the city of Dortona (modern Borgo Val di Taro). 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 Dortona (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 Dortona?
Find out how many people have the last name Dortona on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.