2000
#19,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,287
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.48
Rare Last name
Modesto
An adjective derived from Spanish meaning "modest" or "unassuming".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,127 Americans carry the last name Modesto. That puts it at #15,231 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,144 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Modesto 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
2.1K
1 in 161,144
Census rank
#15,231
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,855 bearers of the surname Modesto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15231st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Modesto, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 69.8%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Modesto
The surname Modesto originated in Italy, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Italian word "modesto," which means "modest" or "humble." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname given to someone who exhibited these qualities.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Modesto can be found in a document from the city of Modena, dated 1187. This document mentions a certain "Petrus Modestus," suggesting that the name was already in use by that time.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Modesto was particularly prevalent in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, where it was associated with various noble families. In the 14th century, a branch of the Modesto family settled in the city of Florence, where they became influential merchants and bankers.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Modesto (1420-1489) was a renowned scholar and humanist from Verona. He was highly respected for his contributions to the fields of literature and philosophy.
Another prominent individual with the surname Modesto was Girolamo Modesto (1572-1632), a Venetian painter who was known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
In the 18th century, a family with the surname Modesto gained prominence in the city of Naples. One of its members, Antonio Modesto (1714-1782), was a respected lawyer and judge who served in the Neapolitan court.
During the 19th century, the Modesto surname spread further across Italy and beyond. Pietro Modesto (1804-1876), a native of Genoa, was a notable explorer and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of flora and fauna in South America.
Throughout history, the surname Modesto has been associated with a diverse range of professions and achievements, reflecting the varied backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Modesto
Among Census respondents with the surname Modesto, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 69.8%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Modesto 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 Modesto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino69.8% · 1,294
- White20.4% · 378
- Asian and Pacific Islander7.2% · 133
- Black or African American1.2% · 22
- Two or more races0.9% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Modesto
Modesto 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
#16,087
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,800
+513 bearers (+39.9%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 3,349 places
2020
#15,231
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,855
+55 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 856 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #19,436 | 1,287 | 0.48 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,087 | 1,800 | 0.61 | +513 bearers (+39.9%) | Up 3,349 places |
| 2020 | #15,231 | 1,855 | 0.62 | +55 bearers (+3.1%) | Up 856 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 Modesto 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 | #16,087 | #15,231 | 5.3% |
| Count | 1,800 | 1,855 | 3.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.61 | 0.62 | 1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Modesto bearers went from 1,800 to 1,855 (+3.1% change). The surname moved up 856 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,087 to #15,231.
FAQ
Modesto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Modesto?
Name Census estimates that about 2,127 living Americans carry the surname Modesto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,144 residents.
How common is Modesto?
Modesto ranks #15,231 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 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 1,855 people with the surname Modesto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 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 Modesto.
Has Modesto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Modesto went from 1,800 recorded bearers to 1,855. That is an increase of 55 (+3.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,087 to #15,231.
What does the Census say about the background of Modesto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Modesto, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 69.8%. The next largest groups are White (20.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (7.2%). 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 Modesto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.8% (1,294 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Modesto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (69.8%), White (20.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (7.2%). 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 Modesto (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 Modesto mean?
An adjective derived from Spanish meaning "modest" or "unassuming". 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 Modesto (0.62 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 common is the surname Modesto?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Modesto, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.