2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gresco
Of possible Italian origin, referring to someone from Greco or Greece.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Gresco. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gresco 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Gresco in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gresco, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gresco
The surname GRESCO is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "grescus," which means "Greek" or "Greek-speaking." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who had Greek ancestry or connections, perhaps during the time of the Byzantine Empire's influence in parts of Italy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GRESCO can be found in the archives of the city of Arezzo, dating back to the 13th century. A document from 1287 mentions a certain "Guido Gresco," who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the area. This indicates that the name was already well-established in central Italy by that time.
In the 14th century, the name GRESCO appeared in various official documents and records across Tuscany and Umbria, particularly in the cities of Florence, Siena, and Perugia. These records often referred to artisans, traders, and members of the local nobility bearing this surname.
One notable figure was Giacomo GRESCO (1325-1398), a renowned sculptor and architect from Florence, who was commissioned to design several churches and public buildings in the city. His most famous work is the Basilica of Santa Croce, which he co-designed with other prominent architects of the time.
In the 15th century, the GRESCO family gained further prominence in the region, with members holding influential positions in local government and the church. One such individual was Francesco GRESCO (1442-1510), a prominent lawyer and diplomat from Siena, who served as an ambassador for the Republic of Siena in various negotiations with other Italian city-states.
Another notable figure was Benedetto GRESCO (1490-1555), a Franciscan friar and scholar from Perugia, who authored several theological texts and was highly regarded for his teachings and sermons.
As the centuries passed, the GRESCO surname continued to spread throughout Italy and even beyond its borders. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the Kingdom of Naples, where they established themselves as successful merchants and landowners.
Despite its Italian origins, the name GRESCO can also be found in other parts of Europe and even in the Americas, likely due to migration patterns and intermarriage with other families over time. However, its strongest historical roots remain firmly anchored in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, where it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical landscape.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gresco
Among Census respondents with the surname Gresco, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gresco 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 Gresco surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gresco
Gresco 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-16 bearers (-12.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,778 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-9 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,827 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.0%) | Down 21,778 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 8,827 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 Gresco 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 | #142,108 | #150,935 | -6.2% |
| Count | 117 | 108 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gresco bearers went from 117 to 108 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 8,827 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #150,935.
FAQ
Gresco surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gresco?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Gresco. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Gresco?
Gresco ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Gresco. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Gresco.
Has Gresco become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gresco went from 117 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Gresco?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gresco, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gresco in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gresco appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gresco (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 Gresco mean?
Of possible Italian origin, referring to someone from Greco or Greece. 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 Gresco (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 people have the last name Gresco?
Want to know how many people have the surname Gresco? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.