2000
#16,616
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,589
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.59
Rare Last name
Marcelo
Derived from the Latin name Marcellus, meaning "young warrior," or referring to someone from Marseille, France.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,187 Americans carry the last name Marcelo. That puts it at #10,948 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.93 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 107,548 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marcelo 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
3.2K
1 in 107,548
Census rank
#10,948
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,779 bearers of the surname Marcelo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.93 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10948th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marcelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (41.8%) and White (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marcelo
The surname Marcelo originated in Italy, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin name "Marcellus," which itself has roots in the Roman clan name "Marcelli." The name is thought to have been initially borne by those who were born on the festival day of Mars, the Roman god of war.
In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Marcelli" or "Marcellini" in various Italian regions, particularly in central and northern parts of the country. Over time, the spelling evolved to "Marcelo" and became more widespread throughout the Italian peninsula.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Marcelo can be found in a 13th-century Venetian record, which mentions a certain "Marcelino Marcelo," a merchant engaged in trade with the Byzantine Empire. Another notable early bearer of the name was Marcelo Malipiero, a 14th-century Venetian diplomat and statesman, who served as an ambassador to various European courts.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained further prominence, with several notable individuals bearing it. One such figure was Marcelo Palingenio Stellato (c. 1500-1543), an Italian poet and satirist whose work "Zodiacus Vitae" was widely read and influential during his time.
In the realm of art, the name is associated with Marcelo Venusti (c. 1515-1579), an Italian painter who worked closely with Michelangelo and was known for his religious and mythological paintings. Another notable bearer of the name was Marcelo Malpighi (1628-1694), an Italian biologist and physician, widely considered the founder of modern microscopic anatomy.
As the surname spread beyond Italy, it also gained prominence in other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable figure was Marcelo Cervantes (1518-1587), a Spanish novelist and playwright, best known for his masterpiece "Don Quixote." In the realm of music, Marcelo Obregón (1779-1844) was a renowned Argentine composer and musician, celebrated for his contributions to the development of Argentine folk music.
Across different eras and regions, the surname Marcelo has been borne by numerous individuals who have left their mark in various fields, from literature and art to science and politics. While the name's origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, its enduring presence throughout history serves as a testament to its cultural significance and the diverse paths taken by those who have carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marcelo
Among Census respondents with the surname Marcelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (41.8%) and White (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Marcelo 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 Marcelo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino48.5% · 1,349
- Asian and Pacific Islander41.8% · 1,163
- White5.4% · 149
- Two or more races3.5% · 98
- Black or African American0.5% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Marcelo
Marcelo 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
#13,002
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,361
+772 bearers (+48.6%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Up 3,614 places
2020
#10,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,779
+418 bearers (+17.7%)
Per 100,000 0.93
Rank movement Up 2,054 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,616 | 1,589 | 0.59 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,002 | 2,361 | 0.80 | +772 bearers (+48.6%) | Up 3,614 places |
| 2020 | #10,948 | 2,779 | 0.93 | +418 bearers (+17.7%) | Up 2,054 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 Marcelo 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 | #13,002 | #10,948 | 15.8% |
| Count | 2,361 | 2,779 | 17.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.80 | 0.93 | 16.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Marcelo bearers went from 2,361 to 2,779 (+17.7% change). The surname moved up 2,054 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,002 to #10,948.
FAQ
Marcelo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Marcelo?
Name Census estimates that about 3,187 living Americans carry the surname Marcelo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 107,548 residents.
How common is Marcelo?
Marcelo ranks #10,948 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.93 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 2,779 people with the surname Marcelo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,187), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.93 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.93 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 Marcelo.
Has Marcelo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Marcelo went from 2,361 recorded bearers to 2,779. That is an increase of 418 (+17.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,002 to #10,948.
What does the Census say about the background of Marcelo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marcelo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 48.5%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (41.8%) and White (5.4%). 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 Marcelo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.5% (1,349 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Marcelo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (48.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (41.8%), White (5.4%). 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 Marcelo (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 Marcelo mean?
Derived from the Latin name Marcellus, meaning "young warrior," or referring to someone from Marseille, France. 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 Marcelo (0.93 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 are called Marcelo?
Want to know how many people have the surname Marcelo? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.