2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gelino
Italian surname likely of Greek origin, meaning "related to laughter" or "joyful."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Gelino. 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 Gelino 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 Gelino 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 Gelino, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gelino
The surname GELINO is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the region of Tuscany, particularly in the areas around Florence and Siena.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GELINO can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Gelinus". This spelling variation suggests a possible connection to the Latin word "gelu", meaning "frost" or "cold". It is speculated that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived in a particularly cold or harsh environment.
During the Renaissance period, the name GELINO gained prominence in the city of Florence. Several notable individuals bearing this surname are recorded in historical documents from this era. One such person was Bartolomeo GELINO, a renowned painter and sculptor who lived between 1490 and 1555. His works adorned several churches and palaces in Florence.
In the 16th century, a branch of the GELINO family migrated to the island of Sicily, where they established themselves as landowners and merchants. Records from this time mention a Giovanni GELINO, a successful trader who lived from 1520 to 1598.
Another notable figure with the surname GELINO was Giulia GELINO, a respected scholar and philosopher who lived in Bologna during the 17th century (1625-1702). Her writings on natural philosophy and ethics were highly regarded by her contemporaries.
The name GELINO can also be found in historical records from the Venetian Republic. In the 18th century, a Francesco GELINO (1718-1794) was a prominent magistrate and diplomat who served as the Venetian ambassador to several European courts.
As the GELINO family spread across Italy, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Gellino" and "Gellini". Some branches of the family also adopted compound surnames, like "Gelino-Rossi" or "Gelino-Bianchi".
While the name GELINO may not be as common today as it once was, its rich historical roots and associations with notable figures from various fields serve as a testament to its enduring legacy within Italian culture and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gelino
Among Census respondents with the surname Gelino, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Gelino 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 Gelino surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 105
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gelino
Gelino 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+6 bearers (+5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,382 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+5 bearers (+4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,690 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.6%) | Down 3,382 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.4%) | Up 2,690 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 Gelino 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 | #146,201 | #143,511 | 1.8% |
| Count | 113 | 118 | 4.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gelino bearers went from 113 to 118 (+4.4% change). The surname moved up 2,690 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #143,511.
FAQ
Gelino surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gelino?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Gelino. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Gelino?
Gelino 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 Gelino. 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 Gelino.
Has Gelino become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gelino went from 113 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 5 (+4.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Gelino?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gelino, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.1%) and Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Gelino in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gelino appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Gelino (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 Gelino mean?
Italian surname likely of Greek origin, meaning "related to laughter" or "joyful." 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 Gelino (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 Americans have the surname Gelino?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.