2000
#26,672
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 859
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.32
Very Rare Last name
Riggi
An Italian surname derived from a place name or possibly of occupational origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 985 Americans carry the last name Riggi. That puts it at #29,333 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 347,974 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Riggi 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
985
1 in 347,974
Census rank
#29,333
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
859
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 859 bearers of the surname Riggi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 29333rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Riggi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Riggi
The surname Riggi finds its origins in Italy, specifically in the regions of Calabria and Sicily, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "riggio," which translates to "curly" or "wavy," potentially referring to the physical characteristics of an early bearer of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Riggi can be traced back to the 13th century in the town of Reggio Calabria, where it was mentioned in local municipal records. The name was likely associated with a family residing in or near the town, whose members may have been known for their curly or wavy hair.
In the 15th century, the Riggi surname appeared in the historical archives of the town of Palermo, Sicily, suggesting that the family had established a presence on the island by that time. This could potentially be linked to migration patterns or the establishment of new branches of the Riggi lineage.
Throughout the centuries, the Riggi name has been found in various historical documents and records, including church registries, property deeds, and legal proceedings. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:
1. Nicola Riggi (1525-1592), a prominent jurist and legal scholar from Messina, Sicily, who authored several influential works on jurisprudence.
2. Girolamo Riggi (1670-1745), a renowned painter from Palermo, Sicily, known for his exquisite religious artworks adorning churches throughout the region.
3. Paolo Riggi (1810-1876), a celebrated composer and musician from Reggio Calabria, who composed several operas and orchestral works that were widely performed during his lifetime.
4. Vincenzo Riggi (1855-1923), a celebrated architect from Catania, Sicily, whose works include the iconic Teatro Massimo Bellini, a historic opera house in Catania.
5. Rosario Riggi (1920-1998), a prominent figure in the Italian labor movement and a member of the Italian Communist Party, who dedicated his life to advocating for workers' rights.
While the surname Riggi has maintained its roots in Southern Italy, it has also spread to other regions and countries through migration and family connections over the centuries. The name's enduring presence reflects the rich cultural heritage and history of the regions from which it originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Riggi
Among Census respondents with the surname Riggi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Riggi 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 Riggi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 806
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 34
- Two or more races1.5% · 13
- Black or African American0.5% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Riggi
Riggi 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
#30,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 753
-106 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 4,217 places
2020
#29,333
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 859
+106 bearers (+14.1%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Up 1,556 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,672 | 859 | 0.32 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,889 | 753 | 0.26 | -106 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 4,217 places |
| 2020 | #29,333 | 859 | 0.29 | +106 bearers (+14.1%) | Up 1,556 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 Riggi 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 | #30,889 | #29,333 | 5.0% |
| Count | 753 | 859 | 14.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.29 | 10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Riggi bearers went from 753 to 859 (+14.1% change). The surname moved up 1,556 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,889 to #29,333.
FAQ
Riggi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Riggi?
Name Census estimates that about 985 living Americans carry the surname Riggi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 347,974 residents.
How common is Riggi?
Riggi ranks #29,333 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.29 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 859 people with the surname Riggi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (985), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.29 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 Riggi.
Has Riggi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Riggi went from 753 recorded bearers to 859. That is an increase of 106 (+14.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #30,889 to #29,333.
What does the Census say about the background of Riggi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Riggi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Riggi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (806 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Riggi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Riggi (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 Riggi mean?
An Italian surname derived from a place name or possibly of occupational origin. 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 Riggi (0.29 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 Riggi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.