2000
#6,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,084
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.88
Rare Last name
Gagliardi
An Italian occupational surname referring to a brave or gallant person, derived from the Italian word "gagliardo."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,382 Americans carry the last name Gagliardi. That puts it at #6,897 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.57 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 63,685 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gagliardi 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gagliardi with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.4K
1 in 63,685
Census rank
#6,897
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,693 bearers of the surname Gagliardi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.57 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6897th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagliardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gagliardi
The surname GAGLIARDI has its origins in Italy, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "gagliardo," which means "strong" or "vigorous." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who possessed notable physical strength or courage.
The earliest recorded instances of the GAGLIARDI surname can be traced back to the 13th century in regions such as Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. In the historical records of these areas, the name appears with various spellings, including Gagliardo, Gagliardi, and Galiardi, reflecting the regional linguistic variations of the time.
One notable historical figure bearing the GAGLIARDI surname was Giovanni Battista Gagliardi, a prominent architect and engineer who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the design and construction of fortifications and military structures throughout Italy, including the iconic Fortezza da Basso in Florence, which he completed in 1534.
Another significant individual with the GAGLIARDI name was Achille Gagliardi, a distinguished Italian philosopher and theologian born in 1537 in Padua. His scholarly works, which explored the intersection of philosophy and theology, garnered widespread recognition and influenced intellectual discourse during the Renaissance period.
In the realm of literature, Domenico Gagliardi, born in Naples in 1617, made his mark as a celebrated poet and playwright. His comedic works, such as "Il Convitato di Pietra" (The Stone Guest), were widely acclaimed and contributed to the vibrant cultural landscape of 17th-century Italy.
Transitioning to the 20th century, Emilio Gagliardi, born in Milan in 1908, was a renowned Italian sculptor and artist. His masterful works, which often depicted human figures and mythological scenes, can be found in various public spaces and art galleries throughout Italy and beyond.
Lastly, Pietro Gagliardi, born in 1809 in Palermo, was a prominent Italian politician and statesman. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a pivotal role in the unification of Italy during the Risorgimento movement, advocating for the consolidation of the Italian states under a single nation.
While the GAGLIARDI surname has its roots firmly planted in Italian soil, its influence and presence have extended worldwide through the generations, carried by individuals who have left their mark across various fields and endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gagliardi
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagliardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Gagliardi 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 Gagliardi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 4,285
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 267
- Two or more races2.2% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 21
- Black or African American0.4% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gagliardi
Gagliardi 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
#6,315
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,404
+320 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 1.83
Rank movement Down 118 places
2020
#6,897
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,693
-711 bearers (-13.2%)
Per 100,000 1.57
Rank movement Down 582 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,197 | 5,084 | 1.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,315 | 5,404 | 1.83 | +320 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 118 places |
| 2020 | #6,897 | 4,693 | 1.57 | -711 bearers (-13.2%) | Down 582 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 Gagliardi 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 | #6,315 | #6,897 | -9.2% |
| Count | 5,404 | 4,693 | -13.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.83 | 1.57 | -14.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gagliardi bearers went from 5,404 to 4,693 (-13.2% change). The surname moved down 582 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,315 to #6,897.
FAQ
Gagliardi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gagliardi?
Name Census estimates that about 5,382 living Americans carry the surname Gagliardi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 63,685 residents.
How common is Gagliardi?
Gagliardi ranks #6,897 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.57 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,693 people with the surname Gagliardi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,382), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.57 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.57 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Gagliardi.
Has Gagliardi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gagliardi went from 5,404 recorded bearers to 4,693. That is a decrease of 711 (-13.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,315 to #6,897.
What does the Census say about the background of Gagliardi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagliardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Gagliardi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (4,285 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gagliardi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (5.7%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Gagliardi (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 Gagliardi mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to a brave or gallant person, derived from the Italian word "gagliardo." 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 Gagliardi (1.57 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 Gagliardi?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.