Find out how popular the last name Drago is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Drago.

Drago, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Drago surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drago in America

Drago is the 9875th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drago surname appeared 3,275 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Drago.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drago to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Drago

The surname Drago is of Italian origin, derived from the Latin word "draco," meaning "dragon." Its earliest known use can be traced back to the 12th century in the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, where it was likely adopted as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a fierce or dragon-like persona.

In medieval times, surnames often emerged from occupations, physical characteristics, or places of origin. The name Drago may have been associated with individuals who exhibited qualities likened to a dragon, such as strength, courage, or fierceness in battle. Alternatively, it could have been related to a place or town with a dragon-inspired name or symbol.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Drago can be found in the Florentine archives from the late 13th century, where a certain Ser Drago di Bencivenni is mentioned as a notary and legal representative. Another notable early bearer of the name was Jacopo Drago, a 14th-century Venetian merchant and explorer who reportedly ventured as far as the Canary Islands.

In the 15th century, the Drago family established a prominent presence in the city of Genoa, where they were involved in maritime trade and naval affairs. One of the most illustrious members of this lineage was Giovanni Andrea Doria Drago (1540-1624), a renowned Genoese admiral and statesman who served as the commander-in-chief of the Papal naval forces.

During the Renaissance period, the Drago surname also gained recognition in the arts and literature. Pietro Drago (1520-1592), an Italian poet and humanist from Naples, was celebrated for his Latin verse and philosophical works. Another notable figure was Giovanni Battista Drago (1627-1701), a Sicilian painter and architect who left a lasting legacy in the baroque architectural heritage of his native island.

As the Drago family spread across Italy and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Drago, Draghi, and Dragone. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and linguistic adaptations. One prominent bearer of the Draghi variant was Mario Draghi (born 1947), an Italian economist and former President of the European Central Bank.

While the surname Drago has its roots in Italy, it has since been adopted by families in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong Italian immigration, such as the Americas and Australia. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era in Italy, where it stood as a symbol of strength, courage, and perhaps even a mythical association with dragons.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drago

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Drago.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Drago was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Drago has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Drago was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Drago, please contact us.

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