2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Rinaca
A surname potentially derived from an Italian place name or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Rinaca. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rinaca 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Rinaca in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rinaca, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rinaca
The surname Rinaca is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Calabria, during the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word "rinacere," which means "to be reborn" or "to rise again." This association suggests that the name may have been given to someone who experienced a significant life event or rebirth of sorts.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Rinaca can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Rinacca." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardization of surnames was not yet established. The name is also found in the Codice Diplomatico Barese, a collection of historical records from the city of Bari, dating back to the 12th century.
In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Giovanni Rinaca was mentioned in the annals of the city of Cosenza, located in the province of Calabria. He was a respected magistrate and played a significant role in the local governance of the time. Another notable individual bearing the name was Nicola Rinaca, a skilled architect from the 15th century who contributed to the construction of several notable buildings in the region, including the Palazzo Ducale in Martano.
During the Renaissance period, the Rinaca family gained prominence in the city of Naples, where they were involved in the thriving arts and cultural scene of the time. One of the most renowned members of the family was Girolamo Rinaca, a celebrated painter born in 1504, whose works adorned several churches and noble residences in the city.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Rinaca family settled in Sicily, where they established themselves as landowners and prominent figures in the local community. One of their descendants, Francesco Rinaca, born in 1687, was a prominent lawyer and scholar who authored several influential legal texts that were widely referenced during that era.
While the name Rinaca may not be as widespread as some other Italian surnames, its historical significance and ties to various regions of Italy make it a notable part of the country's rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rinaca
Among Census respondents with the surname Rinaca, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Rinaca 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 Rinaca surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 111
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rinaca
Rinaca 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,971 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-7 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,797 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 12,971 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 7,797 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 Rinaca 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 | #140,157 | #147,954 | -5.6% |
| Count | 119 | 112 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rinaca bearers went from 119 to 112 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 7,797 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,954.
FAQ
Rinaca surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rinaca?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Rinaca. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Rinaca?
Rinaca ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Rinaca. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Rinaca.
Has Rinaca become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rinaca went from 119 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Rinaca?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rinaca, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Rinaca in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rinaca appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Rinaca (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 Rinaca mean?
A surname potentially derived from an Italian place name or occupation. 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 Rinaca (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 surname Rinaca?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.