2000
#26,493
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 866
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Rare Last name
Faro
A surname originating from Portugal referring to a lighthouse or lighthouse keeper.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,097 Americans carry the last name Faro. That puts it at #26,812 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 312,447 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Faro 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
1.1K
1 in 312,447
Census rank
#26,812
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
957
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 957 bearers of the surname Faro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26812th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Faro, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Faro
The surname Faro originated in Italy, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Italian word "faro," meaning "lighthouse" or "beacon," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a lighthouse or worked as a lighthouse keeper.
One of the earliest known records of the name Faro comes from the city of Genoa, where a family with this surname can be traced back to the late 12th century. This family played a prominent role in the maritime trade of the time, which aligns with the name's connection to lighthouses and navigation.
In the 13th century, there are records of a Faro family in the city of Pisa, another important Italian maritime center. The name is also found in various manuscripts and documents from other Italian cities such as Venice and Florence during this period, indicating its widespread use across the region.
During the Renaissance, several notable individuals bore the surname Faro. One of the most famous was Battista Faro (1508-1567), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Genoa. He made significant contributions to the development of navigation techniques and the study of celestial bodies, further reinforcing the name's association with seafaring and exploration.
Another prominent figure was Giovanni Battista Faro (1573-1639), an Italian painter from Genoa who was known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries across Italy.
In the 18th century, the surname Faro gained recognition in the field of literature with the writer and poet Domenico Faro (1712-1781) from Naples. His works, which included satirical plays and poems, were widely acclaimed during his time.
The name Faro also has connections to various place names in Italy, such as Faro di Messina, a town in Sicily known for its lighthouse, and Faro Superiore, a village in the province of Treviso, which may have contributed to the origin and spread of the surname.
Throughout history, the surname Faro has been associated with seafaring, navigation, and coastal communities, reflecting the name's roots and the occupations of its early bearers. While the name has since spread to other parts of the world, its Italian origins and connections to lighthouses and maritime life remain an integral part of its heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Faro
Among Census respondents with the surname Faro, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Faro 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 Faro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 803
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 73
- Two or more races3.4% · 33
- Black or African American2.4% · 23
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.3% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Faro
Faro 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
#25,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 947
+81 bearers (+9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 558 places
2020
#26,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 957
+10 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Down 877 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,493 | 866 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,935 | 947 | 0.32 | +81 bearers (+9.4%) | Up 558 places |
| 2020 | #26,812 | 957 | 0.32 | +10 bearers (+1.1%) | Down 877 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 Faro 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 | #25,935 | #26,812 | -3.4% |
| Count | 947 | 957 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 0.32 | 0.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Faro bearers went from 947 to 957 (+1.1% change). The surname moved down 877 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,935 to #26,812.
FAQ
Faro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Faro?
Name Census estimates that about 1,097 living Americans carry the surname Faro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 312,447 residents.
How common is Faro?
Faro ranks #26,812 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.32 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 957 people with the surname Faro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,097), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.32 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 Faro.
Has Faro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Faro went from 947 recorded bearers to 957. That is an increase of 10 (+1.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #25,935 to #26,812.
What does the Census say about the background of Faro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Faro, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Faro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (803 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Faro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Hispanic (7.6%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Faro (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 Faro mean?
A surname originating from Portugal referring to a lighthouse or lighthouse keeper. 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 Faro (0.32 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 share the surname Faro?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.