2000
#12,611
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,252
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Flippo
An Italian nickname derived from the name Filippo, meaning "lover of horses."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,324 Americans carry the last name Flippo. That puts it at #14,217 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,485 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Flippo 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
2.3K
1 in 147,485
Census rank
#14,217
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,027 bearers of the surname Flippo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14217th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Flippo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Flippo
The surname Flippo originates from Italy, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have emerged in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, where it may have derived from the Italian word "filipo," meaning "lover of horses." Alternatively, some scholars suggest it could be a variation of the Greek name Philippos, signifying "lover of horses."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Flippo surname is found in a historical document from the city of Perugia, dated 1278. This document mentions a merchant named Girolamo Flippo, indicating the name's presence in the region during that time.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in several municipal records in Florence, suggesting the surname had gained prominence in Tuscany as well. These records include mentions of a landowner named Francesco Flippo in 1342 and a textile merchant named Lorenzo Flippo in 1387.
The Flippo surname is also found in the renowned Catasto Florentino, a comprehensive tax record compiled in 1427 for the city of Florence. This document lists several Flippo families, providing insight into the surname's prevalence and distribution within the city during the Renaissance era.
One notable individual bearing the Flippo surname was Giovanni Battista Flippo (1520-1592), a renowned painter and architect from Perugia. His works include frescoes in several churches and the design of the Palazzo dei Priori in his hometown.
Another notable figure was Antonio Flippo (1645-1718), a Venetian scholar and philosopher who authored several treatises on ethics and natural philosophy. His works were influential during the Age of Enlightenment.
In the 19th century, Giuseppe Flippo (1812-1878) gained recognition as a prominent educator and linguist from Naples. He authored several textbooks on Italian grammar and literature, which were widely used in schools throughout Italy.
The Flippo surname has also been associated with various place names and variations over time. For instance, the town of Filippo Agro in Sicily may have derived its name from an early settler with the Flippo surname. Additionally, variations such as Filippi, Filipponi, and Filippini were commonly found in different regions of Italy.
Throughout history, the Flippo surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artisans, scholars, and merchants. While the name's exact origins remain debated, its presence in historical records and its association with notable figures highlight its enduring legacy within Italian culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Flippo
Among Census respondents with the surname Flippo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Flippo 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 Flippo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.7% · 1,798
- Two or more races4.8% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 69
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 31
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 16
- Black or African American0.7% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Flippo
Flippo 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
#13,933
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,167
-85 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Down 1,322 places
2020
#14,217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,027
-140 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 284 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,611 | 2,252 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,933 | 2,167 | 0.73 | -85 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 1,322 places |
| 2020 | #14,217 | 2,027 | 0.68 | -140 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 284 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 Flippo 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 | #13,933 | #14,217 | -2.0% |
| Count | 2,167 | 2,027 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.73 | 0.68 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Flippo bearers went from 2,167 to 2,027 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 284 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,933 to #14,217.
FAQ
Flippo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Flippo?
Name Census estimates that about 2,324 living Americans carry the surname Flippo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,485 residents.
How common is Flippo?
Flippo ranks #14,217 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,027 people with the surname Flippo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,324), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Flippo.
Has Flippo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Flippo went from 2,167 recorded bearers to 2,027. That is a decrease of 140 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,933 to #14,217.
What does the Census say about the background of Flippo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Flippo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (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 Flippo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (1,798 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Flippo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.7%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Hispanic (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 Flippo (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 Flippo mean?
An Italian nickname derived from the name Filippo, meaning "lover of horses." 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 Flippo (0.68 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 Americans have the surname Flippo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.