2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Risola
Derived from Italian, potentially indicating geographic origin or residency near a risola (ridge or hillside).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Risola. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Risola 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Risola in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Risola, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Risola
The surname Risola has its origins in Italy, with records indicating that it first appeared in the region of Piedmont during the 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "risola," which means "small stream" or "rivulet," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near a small body of water or in a region known for its streams and rivers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Risola can be found in the medieval records of the city of Turin, where a certain Giovanni Risola is mentioned as a landowner in the year 1289. This document provides valuable insight into the name's long history and its association with the Piedmont region.
During the Renaissance period, the name Risola gained prominence with the birth of Pietro Risola (1460-1532), a renowned architect who was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings in the city of Genoa. His works, including the Palazzo Doria and the Church of San Pietro in Banchi, stand as a testament to his architectural genius and the enduring legacy of the Risola name.
In the 17th century, the name Risola appeared in the records of the Venetian Republic, where a certain Marcantonio Risola (1592-1670) was a respected merchant and trader. His business dealings and travels throughout the Mediterranean region contributed to the spread of the Risola name beyond the borders of Italy.
The 19th century saw the birth of Gioacchino Risola (1815-1889), a prominent Italian politician and statesman who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy. His contributions to the political landscape of his time further cemented the Risola name in the annals of Italian history.
Another notable figure bearing the Risola surname was Maria Risola (1876-1952), a renowned Italian opera singer who gained international acclaim for her performances in the leading roles of many operas by composers such as Verdi, Puccini, and Donizetti. Her exceptional talent and artistry brought the Risola name to the forefront of the operatic world during the early 20th century.
While the surname Risola is primarily associated with Italy, it has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of Italian culture and influence. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the regions of Piedmont and the Italian peninsula, where it has left an indelible mark on the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Risola
Among Census respondents with the surname Risola, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Risola 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 Risola surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Risola
Risola 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
+12 bearers (+11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,662 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,064 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.2%) | Up 2,662 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,064 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 Risola 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 | #147,221 | -5.0% |
| Count | 119 | 113 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Risola bearers went from 119 to 113 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,064 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,221.
FAQ
Risola surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Risola?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Risola. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Risola?
Risola ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Risola. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Risola.
Has Risola become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Risola went from 119 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Risola?
Among Census respondents with the surname Risola, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%). 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 Risola in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Risola appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (7.1%). 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 Risola (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 Risola mean?
Derived from Italian, potentially indicating geographic origin or residency near a risola (ridge or hillside). 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 Risola (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 Risola?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.