2000
#7,030
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,395
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.63
Rare Last name
Rizo
A Spanish surname derived from the word "rizo," meaning "curl" or "lock of hair," likely referring to curly hair.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,332 Americans carry the last name Rizo. That puts it at #5,265 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 46,748 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rizo 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
7.3K
1 in 46,748
Census rank
#5,265
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,394 bearers of the surname Rizo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5265th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rizo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rizo
The surname Rizo is believed to have originated in Spain, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "rizo," which means "curly" or "curled." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with curly hair.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Rizo can be found in the historical records of Castile, a region in central Spain, dating back to the 13th century. These records mention individuals bearing the name Rizo, suggesting that the surname had already established itself in certain parts of the Iberian Peninsula by that time.
In the 15th century, during the height of the Spanish Empire, the Rizo surname began to spread across various territories under Spanish control. Historical records from this era show the presence of Rizo families in regions such as the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, and parts of South America.
One notable individual with the surname Rizo was Juan Rizo, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Juan Rizo played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of the Gulf of Mexico region.
Another prominent figure was Pedro Rizo, a Spanish military officer and governor who served in the Spanish colonies in the Americas during the late 16th century. He was appointed as the governor of Cartagena de Indias, a strategically important port city in modern-day Colombia, and held this position from 1597 to 1600.
In the 17th century, the Rizo surname gained further recognition with the birth of Juan Bautista Rizo y Guzmán (1612-1688), a Spanish poet and playwright from Seville. His literary works, including plays and poetry collections, were highly regarded during his lifetime and contributed to the cultural heritage of the Golden Age of Spanish literature.
Another prominent individual with the Rizo surname was Antonio Rizo y López (1790-1868), a Spanish military officer and politician who played a significant role in the Carlist Wars of the 19th century. He served as a general in the Carlist forces and was instrumental in several military campaigns during the conflicts.
In more recent times, the Rizo surname has continued to be present in various parts of the world, particularly in Spain, Latin America, and regions with significant Spanish influence. However, as mentioned earlier, this detailed report focuses on the historical origins and notable figures associated with the surname Rizo, rather than modern census data or recent records.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rizo
Among Census respondents with the surname Rizo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Rizo 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 Rizo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.2% · 5,959
- White5.5% · 349
- Black or African American0.4% · 26
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 21
- Two or more races0.2% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rizo
Rizo 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
#5,547
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,266
+1,871 bearers (+42.6%)
Per 100,000 2.12
Rank movement Up 1,483 places
2020
#5,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,394
+128 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 2.14
Rank movement Up 282 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,030 | 4,395 | 1.63 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,547 | 6,266 | 2.12 | +1,871 bearers (+42.6%) | Up 1,483 places |
| 2020 | #5,265 | 6,394 | 2.14 | +128 bearers (+2.0%) | Up 282 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 Rizo 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 | #5,547 | #5,265 | 5.1% |
| Count | 6,266 | 6,394 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.12 | 2.14 | 0.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rizo bearers went from 6,266 to 6,394 (+2.0% change). The surname moved up 282 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,547 to #5,265.
FAQ
Rizo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rizo?
Name Census estimates that about 7,332 living Americans carry the surname Rizo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 46,748 residents.
How common is Rizo?
Rizo ranks #5,265 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,394 people with the surname Rizo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,332), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Rizo.
Has Rizo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rizo went from 6,266 recorded bearers to 6,394. That is an increase of 128 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,547 to #5,265.
What does the Census say about the background of Rizo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rizo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.4%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Rizo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (5,959 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rizo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.2%), White (5.5%), Black (0.4%). 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 Rizo (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 Rizo mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word "rizo," meaning "curl" or "lock of hair," likely referring to curly hair. 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 Rizo (2.14 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 Rizo?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.