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

Rico, 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 Rico surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rico in America

Rico is the 1359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rico surname appeared 25,954 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Rico.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rico 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 Rico

The surname Rico has its origins in Spain, and it dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "rico," which means "rich" or "wealthy." This name was initially given to individuals who were affluent or had a higher social standing.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Rico can be found in medieval Spanish records and documents from the 13th century. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Rodrigo Rico, a nobleman who lived in the Kingdom of Castile during the reign of Alfonso X in the mid-1200s.

During the Reconquista period, when the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula were gradually reclaiming territories from the Moors, the Rico surname gained prominence. Some notable figures bearing this name include Juan Rico, a military commander who fought in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, and Pedro Rico, a diplomat and ambassador who represented the Crown of Aragon in the 14th century.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the Americas and other parts of the world, the Rico surname spread to various regions. One famous individual with this surname was Bernardo Rico, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

In the realm of arts and literature, the Rico surname has also left its mark. María Rico, a renowned Spanish poet born in 1929, was a prominent figure in the post-war literary scene in Spain. Her works explored themes of identity, feminism, and societal issues.

Another notable figure with the Rico surname was Antonio Rico, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived from 1910 to 1998. He was known for his abstract and avant-garde works, and his art was featured in numerous exhibitions across Europe.

While the Rico surname originated in Spain, it has since been adopted by families in various parts of the world, including Latin America, where it has become particularly prevalent due to the Spanish colonial influence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rico

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

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 Rico 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 Rico 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 Rico was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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