2000
#13,344
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,095
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Guerriero
An Italian occupational surname referring to a warrior or soldier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,322 Americans carry the last name Guerriero. That puts it at #14,233 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,612 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Guerriero 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
2.3K
1 in 147,612
Census rank
#14,233
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,025 bearers of the surname Guerriero in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14233rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Guerriero, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Guerriero
The surname Guerriero is of Italian origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "guerriero," which means "warrior" or "soldier." This suggests that the surname was initially bestowed upon individuals who were known for their military prowess or involvement in armed conflicts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Guerriero can be found in the historic records of the city of Naples, dated back to the 14th century. During this time, the Kingdom of Naples was embroiled in various territorial disputes and wars, and it is likely that the name was attributed to a distinguished soldier or military leader from the region.
The surname Guerriero has also been linked to the town of Guerriero, located in the province of Avellino, Campania region of southern Italy. It is possible that the name originated from this specific location and was subsequently adopted by families residing in or near the town.
Historically, the Guerriero family played a significant role in the political and cultural landscape of Italy. One notable figure was Ettore Guerriero (1844-1920), an Italian politician and statesman who served as the Minister of Public Works in the late 19th century.
Another prominent individual with the Guerriero surname was Giuseppe Guerriero (1920-2008), an Italian sculptor and artist renowned for his works in bronze and marble. His sculptures can be found in various museums and public spaces throughout Italy.
Moving further back in time, records from the 16th century mention a nobleman named Gian Battista Guerriero, who was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Naples during the Spanish rule. He is credited with overseeing the construction of several fortifications and defensive structures in the region.
In the world of literature, the surname Guerriero is associated with Vincenzo Guerriero (1909-1989), an Italian writer and poet who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Another notable figure was Francesco Guerriero (1891-1963), an Italian military officer and aviator who served in World War I and played a crucial role in the development of the Italian Air Force during the interwar period.
While the surname Guerriero has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Italian emigrants and their descendants. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Italian heritage and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Guerriero
Among Census respondents with the surname Guerriero, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Guerriero 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 Guerriero surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 1,843
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 116
- Two or more races2.0% · 40
- Black or African American0.8% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Guerriero
Guerriero 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
#11,504
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,734
+639 bearers (+30.5%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Up 1,840 places
2020
#14,233
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,025
-709 bearers (-25.9%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 2,729 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,344 | 2,095 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,504 | 2,734 | 0.93 | +639 bearers (+30.5%) | Up 1,840 places |
| 2020 | #14,233 | 2,025 | 0.68 | -709 bearers (-25.9%) | Down 2,729 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 Guerriero 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 | #11,504 | #14,233 | -23.7% |
| Count | 2,734 | 2,025 | -25.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.93 | 0.68 | -27.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Guerriero bearers went from 2,734 to 2,025 (-25.9% change). The surname moved down 2,729 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,504 to #14,233.
FAQ
Guerriero surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Guerriero?
Name Census estimates that about 2,322 living Americans carry the surname Guerriero. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,612 residents.
How common is Guerriero?
Guerriero ranks #14,233 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 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 2,025 people with the surname Guerriero. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,322), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 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 Guerriero.
Has Guerriero become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Guerriero went from 2,734 recorded bearers to 2,025. That is a decrease of 709 (-25.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,504 to #14,233.
What does the Census say about the background of Guerriero?
Among Census respondents with the surname Guerriero, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Guerriero in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (1,843 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Guerriero appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Hispanic (5.7%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Guerriero (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 Guerriero mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to a warrior or soldier. 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 Guerriero (0.68 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 share the surname Guerriero?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.