2000
#98,298
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 171
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Intelisano
A surname originating from a personal name derived from the Italian words "intelligente" (intelligent) and "sano" (healthy or sound).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Intelisano. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Intelisano 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Intelisano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Intelisano, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Intelisano
The surname INTELISANO originated in southern Italy, likely in the regions of Calabria or Sicily. It is believed to have derived from the Italian words "intelligente" and "sano," which translates to "intelligent" and "healthy," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was considered intelligent and in good health.
The earliest known record of the INTELISANO surname dates back to the late 15th century, around the time of the Renaissance in Italy. However, it is possible that the name existed earlier, as record-keeping was not as consistent or comprehensive in earlier centuries. One of the earliest documented instances of the name is found in a small village in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, in a municipal record from the late 1400s.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, several individuals bearing the INTELISANO surname were mentioned in various documents and records across southern Italy. For example, a merchant named Giovanni INTELISANO was noted in a trade ledger from Palermo, Sicily, in 1572. Additionally, a priest named Vincenzo INTELISANO was recorded as serving in a church in the town of Reggio Calabria in the early 1600s.
One of the more notable figures with the INTELISANO surname was Domenico INTELISANO, a philosopher and scholar who lived in the late 17th century. Born in 1658 in the town of Catanzaro, Calabria, Domenico INTELISANO was known for his writings on metaphysics and ethics, and he taught at several universities in southern Italy during his lifetime.
Another individual of historical significance was Maria INTELISANO, a prominent artist and painter who lived in the late 18th century. Born in 1763 in Palermo, Sicily, Maria INTELISANO was renowned for her portraits and religious works, which were commissioned by various churches and wealthy patrons throughout the region.
In the 19th century, the INTELISANO surname continued to appear in various records across southern Italy. One notable figure was Giuseppe INTELISANO, a lawyer and political activist who was born in 1822 in the town of Crotone, Calabria. He was known for his involvement in the Italian unification movement and his advocacy for social and political reforms.
Throughout its history, the INTELISANO surname has been associated with various professions and occupations, including merchants, clergy, scholars, artists, and lawyers. While the name originated in southern Italy, it has since spread to other parts of Italy and beyond, as families migrated and settled in different regions or countries over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Intelisano
Among Census respondents with the surname Intelisano, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Intelisano 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 Intelisano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Intelisano
Intelisano 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
#118,185
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 147
-24 bearers (-14.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 19,887 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-29 bearers (-19.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 25,326 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #98,298 | 171 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #118,185 | 147 | 0.05 | -24 bearers (-14.0%) | Down 19,887 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -29 bearers (-19.7%) | Down 25,326 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 Intelisano 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 | #118,185 | #143,511 | -21.4% |
| Count | 147 | 118 | -19.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Intelisano bearers went from 147 to 118 (-19.7% change). The surname moved down 25,326 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,185 to #143,511.
FAQ
Intelisano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Intelisano?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Intelisano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Intelisano?
Intelisano ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Intelisano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Intelisano.
Has Intelisano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Intelisano went from 147 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 29 (-19.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #118,185 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Intelisano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Intelisano, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Intelisano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Intelisano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Intelisano (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 Intelisano mean?
A surname originating from a personal name derived from the Italian words "intelligente" (intelligent) and "sano" (healthy or sound). 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 Intelisano (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 share the surname Intelisano?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.