2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Genga
An Italian surname originating from the town of Genga, located in the Marche region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Genga. 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 Genga 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 Genga 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 Genga, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Genga
The surname Genga is of Italian origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the town of Genga, located in the province of Ancona, in the Marche region of central Italy. The name itself is derived from the Latin word "gingiva," which means "gum" or "gum ridge," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been associated with the dental or medical profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Genga can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Tudertino," a collection of historical documents from the city of Todi, dating back to the 12th century. In this manuscript, a certain "Petrus de Genga" is mentioned as a witness to a legal transaction in the year 1193.
During the Renaissance period, the Genga family gained prominence in the arts and architecture. One notable figure was Bartolomeo Genga (c. 1516-1558), an Italian architect and painter who worked on various projects in Rome, including the Palazzo Sacchetti and the Villa Lante in Bagnaia.
Another celebrated individual with the surname Genga was Girolamo Genga (c. 1476-1551), an Italian architect and sculptor who played a significant role in the construction of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. He is credited with designing the iconic double-loggia of the basilica's façade.
In the literary realm, the name Genga is associated with Bernardino Genga (1620-1690), an Italian poet and scholar from the city of Siena. His works, which include sonnets and other poetic compositions, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
Crossing over to the realm of politics, one cannot overlook the influential figure of Vincenzo Genga (1718-1805), an Italian diplomat and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Apostolic Nuncio to various European courts and played a crucial role in the negotiations between the Holy See and the French Revolution.
While the Genga surname may have originated from a specific region in Italy, its bearers have left an indelible mark across various fields, from architecture and art to literature and diplomacy, throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Genga
Among Census respondents with the surname Genga, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Genga 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 Genga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 106
- Black or African American8.5% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Genga
Genga 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+6 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,333 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+12 bearers (+11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,258 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+6.0%) | Down 3,333 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.3%) | Up 10,258 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 Genga 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 | #153,769 | #143,511 | 6.7% |
| Count | 106 | 118 | 11.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Genga bearers went from 106 to 118 (+11.3% change). The surname moved up 10,258 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #143,511.
FAQ
Genga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Genga?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Genga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Genga?
Genga 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 Genga. 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 Genga.
Has Genga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Genga went from 106 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 12 (+11.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Genga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Genga, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Black (8.5%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Genga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Genga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Black (8.5%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Genga (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 Genga mean?
An Italian surname originating from the town of Genga, located in the Marche region. 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 Genga (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 Genga?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.