2000
#28,617
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 784
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.29
Very Rare Last name
Ritacco
Of Italian origin, signifying someone from the town of Ritta.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 902 Americans carry the last name Ritacco. That puts it at #31,504 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 379,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ritacco 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
902
1 in 379,994
Census rank
#31,504
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
787
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 787 bearers of the surname Ritacco in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 31504th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritacco, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ritacco
The surname Ritacco is of Italian origin, with its roots tracing back to the 14th century in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "ritto," meaning "straight" or "upright," potentially referring to a physical characteristic or occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ritacco can be found in the Florentine Priors' Records, which document the names of influential citizens and government officials from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The name appears several times in these records, suggesting that the Ritacco family held positions of prominence in Florence during this period.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Girolamo Ritacco (1515-1587) was a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of ethics and moral philosophy. His works, such as "De Virtutibus Moralibus" (On Moral Virtues), were highly influential in academic circles of the time.
Moving into the 17th century, the name Ritacco spread beyond Tuscany and gained prominence in other parts of Italy. In the city of Naples, a wealthy merchant named Antonio Ritacco (1629-1702) established a successful trading company that dealt in luxury goods imported from the Far East.
During the 18th century, the Ritacco name was associated with the arts, particularly in the field of painting. Francesco Ritacco (1738-1811), a talented portraitist from Milan, was commissioned by several noble families to create their official portraits, showcasing his exceptional skill and attention to detail.
In the 19th century, the Ritacco family produced a notable military figure, General Giuseppe Ritacco (1802-1879). He played a crucial role in the Italian unification process, leading troops in several battles against the Austrian Empire and earning numerous accolades for his bravery and strategic prowess.
While the Ritacco surname may not be as widely recognized as some other Italian names, it has left an indelible mark on the country's history, with individuals from various walks of life contributing to the cultural, intellectual, and political fabric of Italy over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ritacco
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritacco, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ritacco 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 Ritacco surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 745
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 32
- Two or more races1.1% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ritacco
Ritacco 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
#30,076
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 780
-4 bearers (-0.5%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 1,459 places
2020
#31,504
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 787
+7 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 1,428 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #28,617 | 784 | 0.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,076 | 780 | 0.26 | -4 bearers (-0.5%) | Down 1,459 places |
| 2020 | #31,504 | 787 | 0.26 | +7 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 1,428 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 Ritacco 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 | #30,076 | #31,504 | -4.7% |
| Count | 780 | 787 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.26 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ritacco bearers went from 780 to 787 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 1,428 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,076 to #31,504.
FAQ
Ritacco surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ritacco?
Name Census estimates that about 902 living Americans carry the surname Ritacco. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 379,994 residents.
How common is Ritacco?
Ritacco ranks #31,504 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.26 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 787 people with the surname Ritacco. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (902), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.26 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 Ritacco.
Has Ritacco become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ritacco went from 780 recorded bearers to 787. That is an increase of 7 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #30,076 to #31,504.
What does the Census say about the background of Ritacco?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ritacco, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Ritacco in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (745 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ritacco appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (4.1%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Ritacco (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 Ritacco mean?
Of Italian origin, signifying someone from the town of Ritta. 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 Ritacco (0.26 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 last name Ritacco?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Ritacco at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.