2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Rapaglia
A surname derived from the Italian word "rapa" meaning turnip, perhaps referring to a cultivator or seller of turnips.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Rapaglia. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rapaglia 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Rapaglia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rapaglia
The surname Rapaglia has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "rapa," which means turnip, and the suffix "-aglia," which indicates a collective or abundance.
One of the earliest known references to the name Rapaglia can be found in a historical document from the city of Genoa, dated 1274. This document mentions a family with the surname Rapaglia, suggesting that they were involved in the cultivation or trade of turnips at the time.
In the 14th century, there are records of a nobleman named Giovanni Rapaglia who held significant influence in the city of Milan. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his advocacy for the rights of the common people.
During the Renaissance period, a famous artist named Luca Rapaglia (1457-1542) gained recognition for his intricate frescoes and paintings adorning numerous churches and palaces throughout Italy. His works can still be admired in cities like Florence and Rome.
In the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname Rapaglia was Antonio Rapaglia (1723-1799), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Naples. He contributed significantly to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the prestigious Accademia delle Scienze di Napoli.
Another prominent individual with the surname Rapaglia was Maria Rapaglia (1889-1976), a celebrated opera singer from Venice. She performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses across Europe and was particularly renowned for her interpretations of the works of Giuseppe Verdi.
Over the centuries, variations of the name Rapaglia have emerged, such as Rapaglio, Rapagli, and Rapaglioni, reflecting regional linguistic differences within Italy. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, such as Rapaglia, a small town in the Piedmont region, and Rapaglio, a village in the province of Genoa.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rapaglia
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Rapaglia 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 Rapaglia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.6% · 92
- Two or more races9.1% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rapaglia
Rapaglia 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,981 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,323 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 11,981 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Up 4,323 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 Rapaglia 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 | #153,769 | #149,446 | 2.8% |
| Count | 106 | 110 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rapaglia bearers went from 106 to 110 (+3.8% change). The surname moved up 4,323 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #149,446.
FAQ
Rapaglia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rapaglia?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Rapaglia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Rapaglia?
Rapaglia ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Rapaglia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Rapaglia.
Has Rapaglia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rapaglia went from 106 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 4 (+3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Rapaglia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rapaglia, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.1%) and Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Rapaglia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.6% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rapaglia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.6%), Two or More Races (9.1%), Hispanic (3.6%). 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 Rapaglia (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 Rapaglia mean?
A surname derived from the Italian word "rapa" meaning turnip, perhaps referring to a cultivator or seller of turnips. 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 Rapaglia (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 people have the last name Rapaglia?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Rapaglia, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.