Marciano
Derived from the Italian place name Marciana or the Roman name Marcianus, meaning "of or from Marciana" or "belonging to Marcianus."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,393 Americans carry the last name Marciano. That puts it at #10,882 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,018 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Marciano surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
3.4K
1 in 101,018
Census rank
#10,882
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,929 bearers of the surname Marciano in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10882nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Marciano, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Marciano
The surname Marciano originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Lazio and Campania, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin name Martianus, which itself comes from the Roman god Mars, the deity of war. This name was likely initially given as a personal name to individuals who exhibited warrior-like qualities or were born under the astrological sign of Aries, which was ruled by Mars.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marciano can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Montevergine Abbey in Campania, dating back to the 11th century. This suggests that the name was already in use in this region by that time.
In the 13th century, there are records of a nobleman named Riccardo Marciano, who held land and titles in the Kingdom of Naples. His descendants continued to use the surname Marciano for several generations.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the name Marciano was the Italian humanist and philosopher Giovanni Marciano (1483-1555), who was born in Viterbo, Lazio. He was renowned for his works on philosophy and rhetoric.
In the 17th century, the Marciano family had established itself in the city of Naples, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One prominent member was the architect and engineer Giovan Battista Marciano (1619-1692), who designed several churches and palaces in Naples and its surroundings.
Another noteworthy individual with the surname Marciano was the Italian composer and organist Benedetto Marciano (1686-1739), who was born in Palermo, Sicily. He composed numerous sacred works and served as the organist at the Palermo Cathedral.
In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the name Marciano was the Italian patriot and military leader Giuseppe Marciano (1820-1867), who fought for the unification of Italy alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi. He was a prominent figure in the Risorgimento movement and played a key role in the capture of Sicily from the Bourbon forces.
Throughout its history, the surname Marciano has also been associated with various place names in Italy, such as Marcianise, a town in the province of Caserta, and Marcianopoli, an ancient city in the region of Puglia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Marciano
Among Census respondents with the surname Marciano, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Marciano bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Marciano surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0%
- Hispanic or Latino9.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9%
- Two or more races1.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Marciano surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,882 | #10,882 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,929 | 2,929 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Marciano bearers went from 2,929 to 2,929 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #10,882 to #10,882.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Marciano
FAQ
Marciano surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Marciano?
The surname Marciano holds position #10,882 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,393 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Marciano surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Marciano, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.