2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gianfagna
A surname of Italian origin meaning "peasant" or "farmer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Gianfagna. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gianfagna 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Gianfagna in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gianfagna, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gianfagna
The surname Gianfagna has its origins in Italy, with records suggesting its emergence during the medieval period. Initially confined to specific regions within the Italian peninsula, the name is believed to have derived from a combination of the Italian words "gian" and "fagna," potentially referring to a geographical location or an occupational title.
One of the earliest documented references to the Gianfagna surname can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various municipal records and chronicles from the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. Some historians speculate that the name might have been associated with the town of Gianfagna, a small village located in the province of Perugia, though this connection remains unconfirmed.
During the Renaissance era, several notable individuals bearing the Gianfagna surname made their mark in various fields. Notably, Giovanni Gianfagna (1455-1522), a renowned painter from Florence, was commissioned to create frescoes for several churches and noble residences throughout Tuscany. His works, characterized by their vivid colors and intricate details, have been preserved in various art collections and museums across Italy.
Another prominent figure was Lucrezia Gianfagna (1520-1588), a celebrated poet and scholar from Rome. Her poetry, which often explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, garnered widespread acclaim during her lifetime. Lucrezia was also known for her patronage of the arts and her support for emerging writers and artists.
In the realm of academics, the Gianfagna name was carried by Girolamo Gianfagna (1612-1678), a renowned philosopher and theologian from Naples. His treatises on metaphysics and ethics were widely studied and debated in universities across Europe, and his works continue to be referenced by scholars to this day.
Another notable individual was Vittoria Gianfagna (1725-1798), a pioneering botanist and naturalist from Palermo, Sicily. Her groundbreaking research on the flora of the Mediterranean region contributed significantly to the advancement of botanical knowledge during the Age of Enlightenment.
During the 19th century, the Gianfagna surname gained prominence in the field of law and politics. Enrico Gianfagna (1845-1916), a prominent lawyer and statesman from Milan, played a crucial role in drafting several influential legal reforms and served as a member of the Italian Parliament for several terms.
Throughout its history, the Gianfagna surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Giannfagna, Janfagna, and Gianfagnia, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of the areas where it was recorded. Despite these variations, the core meaning and significance of the name have remained intact, reflecting its rich Italian heritage and the diverse contributions of those who have carried it throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gianfagna
Among Census respondents with the surname Gianfagna, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gianfagna 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 Gianfagna surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.0% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gianfagna
Gianfagna 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,478 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-4 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,229 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 16,478 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 1,229 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 Gianfagna 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 | #157,234 | #156,005 | 0.8% |
| Count | 103 | 99 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 10.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gianfagna bearers went from 103 to 99 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 1,229 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #156,005.
FAQ
Gianfagna surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gianfagna?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Gianfagna. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Gianfagna?
Gianfagna ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Gianfagna. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Gianfagna.
Has Gianfagna become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gianfagna went from 103 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Gianfagna?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gianfagna, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Gianfagna in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.0% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gianfagna appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Gianfagna (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 Gianfagna mean?
A surname of Italian origin meaning "peasant" or "farmer". 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 Gianfagna (0.03 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 Gianfagna?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.