2000
#5,917
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,358
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.99
Rare Last name
Natale
Derived from the Italian word meaning "Christmas," referring to someone born on or associated with the holiday.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,051 Americans carry the last name Natale. That puts it at #6,215 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 56,644 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Natale 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
6.1K
1 in 56,644
Census rank
#6,215
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,277 bearers of the surname Natale in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6215th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Natale, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Natale
The surname Natale originated in Italy, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "natalis," which means "relating to birth" or "connected to Christmas." This connection suggests that the name may have been given to someone born on or around Christmas Day.
In its earliest recorded form, the surname appeared as "Natale" in various Italian regions, including Sicily, Campania, and Lazio. The name can also be found in historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as municipal records and church registers.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Natale was Tommaso Natale, a renowned Italian painter who lived in the 14th century. His works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy, particularly in Naples and Palermo.
In the 15th century, the name Natale was associated with several influential families in the Kingdom of Naples. One notable figure was Girolamo Natale, a wealthy merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the city's economic and political affairs.
During the Renaissance period, the Natale family produced several notable scholars and artists. One of the most prominent was Matteo Natale, a humanist and philosopher who lived in the 16th century. His works on philosophy and rhetoric were widely read and influential during his time.
In the 17th century, the surname Natale gained prominence in the field of music. Giovanni Battista Natale was a respected composer and organist who worked in several churches and courts across Italy, including the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome.
As the name spread throughout Italy, it also found its way into other regions, such as Sardinia and Calabria. In these areas, the surname sometimes took on regional variations, such as "Natali" or "Natalizio."
Throughout history, the surname Natale has been associated with numerous notable figures, including:
1. Francesco Natale (1758-1835), an Italian botanist and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.
2. Gaetano Natale (1834-1904), an Italian composer and conductor who wrote several operas and instrumental works.
3. Vincenzo Natale (1859-1920), an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Italian Parliament.
4. Salvatore Natale (1884-1962), an Italian sculptor and artist who created numerous public monuments and works of art.
5. Concetta Natale (1908-1996), an Italian actress and singer who appeared in several films and stage productions during the mid-20th century.
While the surname Natale has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. Today, it can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, among others.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Natale
Among Census respondents with the surname Natale, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Natale 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 Natale surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 4,848
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 246
- Two or more races2.5% · 131
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 27
- Black or African American0.4% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Natale
Natale 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
#6,188
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,529
+171 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 1.87
Rank movement Down 271 places
2020
#6,215
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,277
-252 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 1.77
Rank movement Down 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,917 | 5,358 | 1.99 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,188 | 5,529 | 1.87 | +171 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 271 places |
| 2020 | #6,215 | 5,277 | 1.77 | -252 bearers (-4.6%) | Down 27 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 Natale 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 | #6,188 | #6,215 | -0.4% |
| Count | 5,529 | 5,277 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.87 | 1.77 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Natale bearers went from 5,529 to 5,277 (-4.6% change). The surname moved down 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,188 to #6,215.
FAQ
Natale surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Natale?
Name Census estimates that about 6,051 living Americans carry the surname Natale. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 56,644 residents.
How common is Natale?
Natale ranks #6,215 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.77 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,277 people with the surname Natale. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,051), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.77 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Natale.
Has Natale become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Natale went from 5,529 recorded bearers to 5,277. That is a decrease of 252 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,188 to #6,215.
What does the Census say about the background of Natale?
Among Census respondents with the surname Natale, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Natale in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (4,848 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Natale appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Hispanic (4.7%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Natale (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 Natale mean?
Derived from the Italian word meaning "Christmas," referring to someone born on or associated with the holiday. 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 Natale (1.77 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 Natale?
You can see how many people have the surname Natale on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.