2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gargagliano
An Italian surname thought to originate from the word "garganello" meaning "reed" or "pipe".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Gargagliano. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gargagliano 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Gargagliano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gargagliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gargagliano
The surname GARGAGLIANO is of Italian origin, specifically from the region of Campania in southern Italy. It is derived from the Italian word "gargaglio," which refers to the throat or gullet, suggesting a possible occupational origin for someone who worked with the throat, such as a doctor or a singer.
The earliest recorded instances of this surname date back to the 14th century, with records mentioning individuals bearing the name in the cities of Naples and Salerno. Some historical documents, such as tax records and church registers, from this period include variations in spelling, such as Gargagliano, Gargaliano, and Gargaglione.
One notable historical figure with this surname was Pietro Gargagliano, a renowned painter who lived in Naples during the 16th century (c. 1520-1585). His works, which often depicted religious scenes and portraits, can still be found in various churches and museums across Italy.
Another individual of note was Francesco Gargagliano (1670-1745), a Neapolitan composer and organist who served at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma. His compositions, primarily sacred works, were widely performed and appreciated during his lifetime.
In the 18th century, a prominent family of merchants and bankers known as the Gargaglianos played a significant role in the economic life of Naples. One member of this family, Domenico Gargagliano (1720-1798), was a influential financier and philanthropist who funded the construction of several hospitals and orphanages in the city.
During the 19th century, a lawyer named Raffaele Gargagliano (1802-1872) gained recognition for his work in advocating for legal reforms and civil rights in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. He was also a passionate supporter of the Italian unification movement.
Another notable figure was Antonio Gargagliano (1848-1920), a renowned archaeologist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Roman sites in southern Italy, particularly the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Throughout its history, the surname GARGAGLIANO has maintained a strong presence in the region of Campania, although it has also spread to other parts of Italy and to Italian communities around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gargagliano
Among Census respondents with the surname Gargagliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gargagliano 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 Gargagliano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.7% · 4
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gargagliano
Gargagliano 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
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,794 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,794 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 Gargagliano 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 | #144,141 | #150,935 | -4.7% |
| Count | 115 | 108 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gargagliano bearers went from 115 to 108 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,794 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,935.
FAQ
Gargagliano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gargagliano?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Gargagliano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Gargagliano?
Gargagliano ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Gargagliano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Gargagliano.
Has Gargagliano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gargagliano went from 115 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Gargagliano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gargagliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%). 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 Gargagliano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gargagliano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Hispanic (9.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.7%). 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 Gargagliano (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 Gargagliano mean?
An Italian surname thought to originate from the word "garganello" meaning "reed" or "pipe". 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 Gargagliano (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 share the surname Gargagliano?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.