2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Peruso
Of Italian origin, derived from the word peruzza meaning "small pear", likely relating to a peartree location or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Peruso. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Peruso 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Peruso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Peruso, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Peruso
The surname Peruso has its origins in Italy, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of the country, particularly in the areas around Venice and Verona. The name is derived from the Italian word "peruso," which means "worn out" or "used up." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who wore old or worn-out clothing or possibly had a weathered appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peruso can be found in a document from the Venetian Republic, dated around 1492. This document mentions a merchant named Giovanni Peruso, who was involved in trade with the Ottoman Empire. Another early reference comes from a church record in Verona, which lists the baptism of a child named Pietro Peruso in 1506.
During the 16th century, the Peruso name began to spread to other parts of Italy. In 1548, a man named Antonio Peruso was recorded as residing in Florence, where he worked as a skilled artisan. Around the same time, a family with the surname Peruso settled in the town of Sorrento, near Naples, where they became known for their expertise in winemaking.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Peruso was Giacomo Peruso (1520-1588), a renowned painter from Verona. His works can be found in several churches and galleries throughout northern Italy. Another notable figure was Giulio Peruso (1564-1635), a Venetian diplomat who served as an ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire.
In the 17th century, the Peruso name appeared in various records across Italy. In 1612, a man named Francesco Peruso was listed as a member of the Venetian nobility. In 1671, a manuscript from the city of Siena mentioned a scholar named Luca Peruso, who was renowned for his knowledge of classical literature.
As the centuries passed, the Peruso name continued to be present in Italian history. In the 18th century, a family of Peruso winemakers gained recognition in the region of Tuscany for their high-quality wines. One of their descendants, Lorenzo Peruso (1785-1857), became a respected writer and poet in Florence.
Throughout the 19th century, several individuals with the surname Peruso made their mark in various fields. Carlo Peruso (1812-1879) was a renowned architect from Milan, responsible for designing several landmark buildings in the city. Giovanna Peruso (1842-1921) was a celebrated opera singer who performed in theaters across Europe.
While the Peruso name has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Italian immigrants and their descendants. However, the history and origins of this surname remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural tapestry of the Italian peninsula.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Peruso
Among Census respondents with the surname Peruso, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Peruso 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 Peruso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 114
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Peruso
Peruso 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,487 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+9 bearers (+8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,607 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,487 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.2%) | Up 6,607 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 Peruso 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 | #149,395 | #142,788 | 4.4% |
| Count | 110 | 119 | 8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Peruso bearers went from 110 to 119 (+8.2% change). The surname moved up 6,607 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #142,788.
FAQ
Peruso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Peruso?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Peruso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Peruso?
Peruso ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Peruso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Peruso.
Has Peruso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Peruso went from 110 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 9 (+8.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Peruso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Peruso, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Peruso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Peruso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Black (1.7%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Peruso (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 Peruso mean?
Of Italian origin, derived from the word peruzza meaning "small pear", likely relating to a peartree location or occupation. 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 Peruso (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Peruso?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.