2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Graza
A surname stemming from the Italian word "grazia," meaning grace or favor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 224 Americans carry the last name Graza. That puts it at #99,304 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,530,153 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Graza 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
224
1 in 1,530,153
Census rank
#99,304
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
195
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 195 bearers of the surname Graza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 99304th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Graza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 71.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Graza
The surname GRAZA has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "grazia," which means "grace" or "favor," suggesting that the original bearer may have been someone who was highly regarded for their kind or gracious nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GRAZA can be found in a historical document from the city of Florence, dated to the early 15th century. This document mentions a certain Andrea GRAZA, who was a merchant and landowner in the region. Furthermore, there are records of a family with the surname GRAZA residing in the town of Siena during the same time period.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname GRAZA was Girolamo GRAZA, a renowned architect from Florence. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings and churches, including the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in his hometown.
Moving into the 17th century, there are records of a Pietro GRAZA, who was a poet and scholar from the city of Pisa. His works were widely acclaimed during his lifetime, and some of his poems have been preserved in historical anthologies.
In the 19th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the surname GRAZA was Emilio GRAZA, a politician and statesman from the town of Lucca. He played a significant role in the unification of Italy and served as a member of the Italian Parliament for several years.
Another notable GRAZA was Maria GRAZA, a celebrated opera singer from the city of Milan. She performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses across Europe during the late 19th century and was renowned for her powerful soprano voice.
While the surname GRAZA is not as common as some other Italian surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to its origins in the beautiful region of Tuscany. The individuals mentioned above represent just a few examples of the many notable figures who have carried this surname throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Graza
Among Census respondents with the surname Graza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 71.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Graza 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 Graza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino71.3% · 139
- White13.3% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander13.3% · 26
- Black or African American2.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Graza
Graza 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+6 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,335 places
2020
#99,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 195
+72 bearers (+58.5%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 37,145 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 3,335 places |
| 2020 | #99,304 | 195 | 0.07 | +72 bearers (+58.5%) | Up 37,145 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 Graza 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 | #136,449 | #99,304 | 27.2% |
| Count | 123 | 195 | 58.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.07 | 63.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Graza bearers went from 123 to 195 (+58.5% change). The surname moved up 37,145 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #99,304.
FAQ
Graza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Graza?
Name Census estimates that about 224 living Americans carry the surname Graza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,530,153 residents.
How common is Graza?
Graza ranks #99,304 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 195 people with the surname Graza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (224), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Graza.
Has Graza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Graza went from 123 recorded bearers to 195. That is an increase of 72 (+58.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #136,449 to #99,304.
What does the Census say about the background of Graza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Graza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 71.3%. The next largest groups are White (13.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.3%). 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 Graza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.3% (139 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Graza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (71.3%), White (13.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (13.3%). 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 Graza (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 Graza mean?
A surname stemming from the Italian word "grazia," meaning grace or favor. 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 Graza (0.07 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 have the last name Graza?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Graza on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.