2000
#16,586
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,593
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.59
Rare Last name
Grado
An Italian toponymic surname referring to someone from a place called Grado, such as the town in northeastern Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,202 Americans carry the last name Grado. That puts it at #14,821 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 155,656 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Grado 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
2.2K
1 in 155,656
Census rank
#14,821
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,920 bearers of the surname Grado in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14821st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Grado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Grado
The surname GRADO has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century. The name GRADO is derived from the Italian word "grado," which means "grade" or "rank," and was likely given to someone who held a particular position or rank in society or the military.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GRADO surname can be found in historical documents from the city of Grado, a small island town in the Venetian Lagoon. This suggests that the name may have originated from this specific location, perhaps as a way to identify individuals who hailed from the area.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Pietro GRADO was mentioned in the annals of the Republic of Venice, where he served as a prominent statesman and diplomat. Another historical figure was Francesco GRADO, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 15th century and was known for his contributions to the Renaissance humanist movement.
During the 16th century, the GRADO surname gained prominence in the region of Lombardy, particularly in the city of Milan. One notable individual from this period was Girolamo GRADO, a successful merchant and banker who established a thriving business empire in the heart of Milan. His descendants continued to play a significant role in the city's economic and political affairs for several generations.
In the 18th century, a branch of the GRADO family migrated to the Kingdom of Naples, where they established themselves as landowners and influential members of the local aristocracy. One notable figure from this period was Antonio GRADO (1724-1798), a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Neapolitan court system.
Another significant figure bearing the GRADO surname was Vincenzo GRADO (1801-1867), a celebrated Italian painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his masterful works of art during the Romantic period. His paintings and sculptures can still be found in many prestigious museums and galleries across Italy.
Throughout history, the GRADO surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, merchants, and members of the nobility. While the name may have originated from a specific location or rank, it has since become widely dispersed across Italy and beyond, leaving a lasting impact on the cultural and historical tapestry of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Grado
Among Census respondents with the surname Grado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Grado 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 Grado surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino83.7% · 1,607
- White14.4% · 277
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 19
- Two or more races0.6% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
- Black or African American0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Grado
Grado 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
#15,104
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,953
+360 bearers (+22.6%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 1,482 places
2020
#14,821
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,920
-33 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 283 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,586 | 1,593 | 0.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,104 | 1,953 | 0.66 | +360 bearers (+22.6%) | Up 1,482 places |
| 2020 | #14,821 | 1,920 | 0.64 | -33 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 283 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 Grado 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 | #15,104 | #14,821 | 1.9% |
| Count | 1,953 | 1,920 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.64 | -2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Grado bearers went from 1,953 to 1,920 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 283 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,104 to #14,821.
FAQ
Grado surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Grado?
Name Census estimates that about 2,202 living Americans carry the surname Grado. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 155,656 residents.
How common is Grado?
Grado ranks #14,821 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,920 people with the surname Grado. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,202), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Grado.
Has Grado become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Grado went from 1,953 recorded bearers to 1,920. That is a decrease of 33 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,104 to #14,821.
What does the Census say about the background of Grado?
Among Census respondents with the surname Grado, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.4%) and 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Grado in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.7% (1,607 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Grado appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (83.7%), White (14.4%), 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 Grado (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 Grado mean?
An Italian toponymic surname referring to someone from a place called Grado, such as the town in northeastern Italy. 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 Grado (0.64 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 are called Grado?
If you just want to know how many people are called Grado, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.