2000
#10,046
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,959
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Molinaro
An occupational surname referring to a miller or one who grinds grain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,133 Americans carry the last name Molinaro. That puts it at #11,088 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 109,401 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Molinaro 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
3.1K
1 in 109,401
Census rank
#11,088
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,732 bearers of the surname Molinaro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11088th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Molinaro, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Molinaro
The surname Molinaro is of Italian origin, with its roots tracing back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "molinaro," which translates to "miller" or someone who operates a mill. The name is closely tied to the occupation of milling grain, a crucial industry in many Italian regions during the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded instances of the Molinaro surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, primarily in the regions of Lombardy, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna. These areas were known for their thriving agricultural and milling industries, which likely contributed to the widespread adoption of the name.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the Molinaro surname was Giovanni Molinaro, a prominent merchant and landowner from Verona, who lived in the late 13th century. Records indicate that he owned several mills along the Adige River, which was a significant source of his wealth and influence.
In the 15th century, the Molinaro family gained prominence in the city of Pavia, where they were involved in the local governance and trade. Andrea Molinaro (1430-1498) was a respected magistrate and diplomat who represented the city's interests in negotiations with neighboring territories.
During the Renaissance period, the Molinaro surname was also found among artists and intellectuals. Giacomo Molinaro (1515-1592), a renowned painter from Bergamo, was known for his religious works and frescoes adorning numerous churches in northern Italy.
In the 17th century, the Molinaro family established themselves in Naples, where they played a significant role in the city's cultural and political life. Antonio Molinaro (1620-1687) was a respected lawyer and jurist who served as a judge in the Royal Court of Naples.
Another noteworthy individual was Pietro Molinaro (1768-1838), a military officer and patriot from Piedmont, who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later played a crucial role in the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy.
As the centuries passed, the Molinaro surname spread across various regions of Italy and beyond, with descendants establishing themselves in different professions and contributing to the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Molinaro
Among Census respondents with the surname Molinaro, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Molinaro 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 Molinaro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 2,513
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 125
- Two or more races2.4% · 65
- Black or African American0.5% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Molinaro
Molinaro 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
#10,708
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,984
+25 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 662 places
2020
#11,088
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,732
-252 bearers (-8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Down 380 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,046 | 2,959 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,708 | 2,984 | 1.01 | +25 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 662 places |
| 2020 | #11,088 | 2,732 | 0.91 | -252 bearers (-8.4%) | Down 380 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 Molinaro 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 | #10,708 | #11,088 | -3.5% |
| Count | 2,984 | 2,732 | -8.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.01 | 0.91 | -9.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Molinaro bearers went from 2,984 to 2,732 (-8.4% change). The surname moved down 380 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,708 to #11,088.
FAQ
Molinaro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Molinaro?
Name Census estimates that about 3,133 living Americans carry the surname Molinaro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 109,401 residents.
How common is Molinaro?
Molinaro ranks #11,088 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.91 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 2,732 people with the surname Molinaro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.91 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 Molinaro.
Has Molinaro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Molinaro went from 2,984 recorded bearers to 2,732. That is a decrease of 252 (-8.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,708 to #11,088.
What does the Census say about the background of Molinaro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Molinaro, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Molinaro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (2,513 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Molinaro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (4.6%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Molinaro (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 Molinaro mean?
An occupational surname referring to a miller or one who grinds grain. 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 Molinaro (0.91 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 last name Molinaro?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Molinaro on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.