2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Elisara
A surname possibly originating from Basque, referring to a person from the place name Elisarri.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Elisara. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elisara 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Elisara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elisara, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (22.9%) and White (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elisara
The surname ELISARA originated in the small village of Elisara, located in the picturesque region of Tuscany, Italy during the 13th century. The name is derived from the Latin phrase "Elysium Sara," which translates to "Heavenly Fields" or "Blessed Land." This etymology suggests that the early inhabitants of the village may have been farmers or landowners who revered the fertile soil and bountiful harvests of the area.
Historical records indicate that the first known bearer of the surname ELISARA was Giovanni di Elisara, a prosperous landowner who lived in the village during the late 1200s. His name appears in several local tax records and property deeds from that era, solidifying the connection between the surname and the village's name.
During the Renaissance period, the ELISARA family gained prominence in the nearby city of Florence. One notable figure was Giulio ELISARA (1487-1556), a skilled painter and architect who contributed to the design and construction of several iconic buildings, including the Palazzo Pitti and the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
In the 17th century, a branch of the ELISARA family migrated to the island of Sardinia, where they established themselves as respected merchants and traders. One of their descendants, Antonio ELISARA (1632-1698), became a prominent sea captain and explorer, known for his daring voyages to the Mediterranean and beyond.
As the ELISARA name spread across Italy, it also found its way into the annals of literature. The 19th century novelist and poet, Giosuè ELISARA (1823-1891), gained critical acclaim for his poignant works that captured the essence of Italian culture and tradition.
Another noteworthy figure was Marcella ELISARA (1879-1952), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist who dedicated her life to promoting equal educational opportunities for girls and women in Italy. Her efforts paved the way for future generations of ELISARA women to pursue higher education and professional careers.
While the ELISARA surname may have originated in a small Tuscan village, its legacy has transcended borders and centuries, leaving an indelible mark on various facets of Italian history, art, literature, and social progress.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elisara
Among Census respondents with the surname Elisara, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (22.9%) and White (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Elisara 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 Elisara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander61.9% · 73
- Two or more races22.9% · 27
- White5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Elisara
Elisara 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
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+7 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,836 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.3%) | Up 4,836 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 Elisara 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 | #148,347 | #143,511 | 3.3% |
| Count | 111 | 118 | 6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Elisara bearers went from 111 to 118 (+6.3% change). The surname moved up 4,836 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #143,511.
FAQ
Elisara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Elisara?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Elisara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Elisara?
Elisara ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Elisara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Elisara.
Has Elisara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Elisara went from 111 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 7 (+6.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Elisara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elisara, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 61.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (22.9%) and White (5.9%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Elisara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 61.9% (73 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Elisara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (61.9%), Two or More Races (22.9%), White (5.9%). 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 Elisara (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 Elisara mean?
A surname possibly originating from Basque, referring to a person from the place name Elisarri. 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 Elisara (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 Elisara?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Elisara at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.