Find out how popular the last name Raso is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Raso.

Raso, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Raso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Raso in America

Raso is the 22944th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Raso surname appeared 1,115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Raso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Raso to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Raso

The surname Raso is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Calabria and Sicily, derived from the Italian word "raso," meaning "smooth" or "shaved."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Raso can be found in the historic Sicilian town of Messina, where it appears in tax records from the 13th century. The name was initially associated with individuals involved in the textile trade, particularly those who worked with smooth fabrics like silk or satin.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Raso was Guglielmo Raso, a Sicilian poet and author. His works, including the poetic collection "Il Canzoniere," are considered important contributions to early Italian literature.

The name Raso also appears in records from the city of Naples, where a family by that name held land and property during the 15th century. One member, Antonio Raso, was a respected merchant and trader who conducted business with various Mediterranean ports.

During the Renaissance period, the Raso surname gained prominence in the arts. Bartolomeo Raso, a Florentine painter born in 1492, was renowned for his frescoes and religious works adorning churches across Tuscany.

In the 17th century, the name Raso was associated with the nobility in the Kingdom of Naples. Carlo Raso, born in 1625, was a nobleman and landowner whose family had close ties to the Spanish monarchy that ruled over the region at the time.

As Italian immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, the surname Raso spread beyond its Mediterranean origins. In the late 19th century, Giuseppe Raso, born in 1867, was among the first waves of Italian immigrants to arrive in the United States, settling in New York City.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname Raso, which has its roots deeply embedded in the cultural tapestry of Italy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Raso

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Raso.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Raso was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Raso has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Raso was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Raso, please contact us.

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