Risco last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Risco

A topographic surname likely related to a ridge or cliff.

Risco, 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 Risco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Risco in America

Risco is the 52970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Risco surname appeared 391 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 Risco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Risco 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 52970 52500 0.89%
Count 391 371 5.25%
Proportion per 100k 0.13 0.14 -7.41%

The history of the last name Risco

The surname RISCO is believed to have originated in Portugal, where it first appeared in historical records during the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Portuguese word "risco," which means "risk" or "peril," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a dangerous or precarious area or who had a daring occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RISCO surname dates back to 1271, when a man named Pero Risco was mentioned in a legal document from the city of Coimbra. Another early record comes from the 14th century, when a landowner named Afonso Risco was listed in a property deed from the town of Évora.

The RISCO name can also be found in some of Portugal's oldest surviving manuscripts and chronicles, including the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), which dates back to the 14th century and includes references to several individuals with the RISCO surname.

In the 16th century, a man named João Risco (1520-1592) gained prominence as a skilled architect and engineer, known for his work on several notable buildings and fortifications in Portugal during the reign of King Sebastian I.

Another noteworthy figure was Diogo Risco (1604-1673), a renowned Portuguese painter and engraver who was active in the Baroque period and is celebrated for his religious artworks and portraits.

During the 18th century, a military officer named Manuel Risco (1732-1798) achieved distinction for his service in the Portuguese army, participating in several campaigns and eventually rising to the rank of general.

In more recent times, the RISCO surname has been carried by individuals such as António Risco (1861-1943), a Portuguese lawyer and politician who served as a member of parliament and held various government positions.

While the RISCO name is most prevalent in Portugal, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration, including Brazil, where it is found in regions with strong Portuguese influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Risco

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

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 Risco was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 25.58% 100
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.81% 11
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 71.61% 280

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 Risco has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 25.58% 34.50% -29.69%
Black 2.81% 2.16% 26.16%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.00% 1.89% -200.00%
Hispanic 71.61% 60.92% 16.13%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Risco last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/risco-surname-popularity/.

"Risco last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/risco-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Risco last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/risco-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.