2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Generali
A surname derived from the Italian word for "general," possibly denoting association with a military commander.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Generali. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Generali 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Generali in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Generali, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Generali
The surname Generali is of Italian origin, and it emerged during the medieval period in various regions of Italy. The name is derived from the Italian word "generale," which means "general" or "commander." This suggests that the initial bearers of this surname may have been high-ranking military officers or individuals who held positions of authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Generali surname can be found in the historical records of the Republic of Venice, where a noble family bearing this name played a significant role in the city's governance during the 14th and 15th centuries. Notably, Giovanni Generali (1339-1412) was a prominent Venetian statesman who served as the Doge of Venice from 1409 until his death.
The Generali surname also appeared in other Italian cities and regions, such as Milan, Florence, and Naples. In the 16th century, a branch of the Generali family settled in Genoa, where they established themselves as successful merchants and bankers. One of the most notable members of this branch was Luca Generali (1524-1589), a renowned financier and advisor to the Doge of Genoa.
As the Generali surname spread throughout Italy, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 17th century, a prominent Generali family emerged in the Kingdom of Hungary, where they gained prominence as landowners and military leaders. One of the most famous members of this branch was József Generali (1696-1768), a Hungarian general who played a crucial role in the War of the Austrian Succession.
Another notable figure with the Generali surname was Luigi Generali (1783-1857), an Italian composer and musician who was born in Venice. He composed numerous operas and instrumental works, earning him a reputation as one of the leading figures in the Romantic era of classical music.
In the 19th century, the Generali surname gained further recognition with the establishment of the Assicurazioni Generali insurance company in Trieste, which became one of the largest and most successful insurance companies in Europe. The company's founder, Giovanni Battista Generali (1801-1874), was a visionary entrepreneur who recognized the growing demand for insurance services in the rapidly industrializing world.
Throughout history, the Generali surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, statesmen, financiers, composers, and entrepreneurs. While its exact origins may be shrouded in the mists of time, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of Italy and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Generali
Among Census respondents with the surname Generali, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Generali 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 Generali surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.7% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino14.3% · 17
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Generali
Generali 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
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+15 bearers (+14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,543 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,484 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.2%) | Up 5,543 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4,484 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 Generali 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 | #138,304 | #142,788 | -3.2% |
| Count | 121 | 119 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Generali bearers went from 121 to 119 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4,484 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #142,788.
FAQ
Generali surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Generali?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Generali. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Generali?
Generali ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Generali. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Generali.
Has Generali become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Generali went from 121 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Generali?
Among Census respondents with the surname Generali, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.3%) 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 Generali in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.7% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Generali appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.7%), Hispanic (14.3%), 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 Generali (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 Generali mean?
A surname derived from the Italian word for "general," possibly denoting association with a military commander. 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 Generali (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 common is the surname Generali?
You can see how many people have the surname Generali on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.