2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Malvasio
An occupational surname derived from the Italian word for "malmsey wine".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Malvasio. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Malvasio 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Malvasio in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Malvasio, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.0%) and Black (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Malvasio
The surname Malvasio has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Malvasio is derived from the Italian word "malvasia," which refers to a type of sweet wine that was popular in the Mediterranean region during that time. The name may have been given to families or individuals involved in the production or trade of this wine.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malvasio can be found in a document from the city of Palermo, dated to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain Guglielmo Malvasio, who was a prominent merchant operating in the area.
In the 14th century, another notable figure bearing the Malvasio surname was Giovanni Malvasio, a renowned scholar and writer from the city of Messina. His works included treatises on philosophy, theology, and the sciences, which were highly regarded during that period.
During the Renaissance, the Malvasio family gained prominence in the city of Catania. One of its members, Antonio Malvasio (1523-1591), was a celebrated architect who designed several notable buildings in the city, including the Palazzo Biscari and the Chiesa di San Placido.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Malvasio family settled in the city of Naples, where they became involved in the legal profession. One notable figure from this branch was Girolamo Malvasio (1647-1718), a renowned jurist and legal scholar who authored several influential treatises on civil law.
Another prominent individual with the Malvasio surname was Vincenzo Malvasio (1718-1783), a composer and musician from the city of Palermo. He was renowned for his operas and sacred music compositions, which were performed throughout Italy during his lifetime.
While the Malvasio surname has its roots in Sicily, it gradually spread to other parts of Italy and beyond, as families migrated and settled in different regions. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the island's rich cultural and viticultural heritage, which played a significant role in shaping its historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Malvasio
Among Census respondents with the surname Malvasio, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.0%) and Black (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Malvasio 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 Malvasio surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.2% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino17.0% · 18
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Malvasio
Malvasio 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
+10 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 711 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-11 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,231 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 711 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 10,231 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 Malvasio 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 | #152,339 | -7.2% |
| Count | 117 | 106 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Malvasio bearers went from 117 to 106 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 10,231 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #152,339.
FAQ
Malvasio surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Malvasio?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Malvasio. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Malvasio?
Malvasio ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Malvasio. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Malvasio.
Has Malvasio become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Malvasio went from 117 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Malvasio?
Among Census respondents with the surname Malvasio, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (17.0%) and Black (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 Malvasio in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.2% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Malvasio appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.2%), Hispanic (17.0%), Black (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 Malvasio (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 Malvasio mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Italian word for "malmsey wine". 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 Malvasio (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 surname Malvasio?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.