2000
#21,526
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.42
Rare Last name
Ratto
An Italian surname derived from the word 'ratto' meaning rat.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,179 Americans carry the last name Ratto. That puts it at #25,227 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 290,716 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ratto 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
1.2K
1 in 290,716
Census rank
#25,227
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,028 bearers of the surname Ratto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25227th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratto, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ratto
The surname Ratto has its origins in Italy, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "ratto," which means "rat" or "mouse." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or as a toponymic surname referring to a place associated with rats or mice.
In the 13th century, a notable individual named Niccolò Ratto was mentioned in historical records as a prominent merchant and diplomat from the Republic of Genoa. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties and fostering trade relations between Genoa and other Mediterranean powers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ratto can be found in the registers of the city of Piacenza, dating back to the 14th century. The name appeared in various spellings, including Ratto, Ratti, and Rato, reflecting the regional linguistic variations of the time.
During the Renaissance period, the Ratto family gained prominence in the city of Florence. Giorgio Ratto (1436-1499) was a renowned architect and sculptor, renowned for his contributions to the construction of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the city's iconic cathedral.
In the 16th century, Giovanni Battista Ratto (1512-1588) was a notable Italian mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and was recognized for his work on improving the accuracy of astronomical calculations.
Another prominent figure with the surname Ratto was Cesare Ratto (1618-1676), a skilled Baroque painter from the city of Genoa. His works, often depicting religious scenes and portraits, can be found in various churches and galleries across Italy.
The surname Ratto also has a connection to the island of Corsica, where it was borne by several notable individuals. One such figure was Giovanni Ratto (1765-1835), a military leader who played a pivotal role in the Corsican resistance against French occupation during the Napoleonic era.
Over the centuries, the surname Ratto has been associated with various families and individuals across Italy, reflecting the rich cultural and historical diversity of the Italian peninsula. While the name's origins may have been humble, its legacy spans across various fields, including art, science, and military endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ratto
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratto, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ratto 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 Ratto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.2% · 835
- Hispanic or Latino12.8% · 132
- Two or more races3.9% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 12
- Black or African American0.5% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ratto
Ratto 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
#25,771
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 956
-175 bearers (-15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Down 4,245 places
2020
#25,227
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,028
+72 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.34
Rank movement Up 544 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,526 | 1,131 | 0.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,771 | 956 | 0.32 | -175 bearers (-15.5%) | Down 4,245 places |
| 2020 | #25,227 | 1,028 | 0.34 | +72 bearers (+7.5%) | Up 544 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 Ratto 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 | #25,771 | #25,227 | 2.1% |
| Count | 956 | 1,028 | 7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 0.34 | 7.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ratto bearers went from 956 to 1,028 (+7.5% change). The surname moved up 544 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,771 to #25,227.
FAQ
Ratto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ratto?
Name Census estimates that about 1,179 living Americans carry the surname Ratto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 290,716 residents.
How common is Ratto?
Ratto ranks #25,227 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.34 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 1,028 people with the surname Ratto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,179), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.34 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.34 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 Ratto.
Has Ratto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ratto went from 956 recorded bearers to 1,028. That is an increase of 72 (+7.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,771 to #25,227.
What does the Census say about the background of Ratto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ratto, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Ratto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.2% (835 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ratto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.2%), Hispanic (12.8%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Ratto (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 Ratto mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word 'ratto' meaning rat. 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 Ratto (0.34 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 share the surname Ratto?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.