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

Romano, 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 Romano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Romano in America

Romano is the 1219th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Romano surname appeared 29,018 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Romano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Romano 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.

The history of the last name Romano

The surname Romano originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "Romanus," meaning "Roman" or "from Rome." This surname was likely given to individuals who lived in or near the city of Rome or were associated with the Roman Empire or culture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Romano can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of Cava dei Tirreni in southern Italy, dating back to the 9th century. The name was also mentioned in various other Italian records and manuscripts from the 10th to 13th centuries.

The Romano surname is closely linked to the noble Romano family, who wielded significant power and influence in the Republic of Venice during the 12th and 13th centuries. Prominent members of this family include Doge Pietro Romano (1130-1205), who ruled Venice from 1182 to 1205, and his son, Doge Pietro Romano II (1172-1237).

Another notable figure with the surname Romano was Ezzelino III da Romano (1194-1259), a 13th-century Italian nobleman and military leader who ruled over the Marca Trevigiana region of northeastern Italy. He was known for his cruelty and tyrannical rule.

In the 14th century, the surname Romano was associated with the town of Romano di Lombardia, located in the province of Bergamo, northern Italy. The town's name likely derived from the Romano surname or vice versa.

Other individuals of note with the surname Romano include the Italian painter Giulio Romano (1499-1546), a prominent figure of the Renaissance and a pupil of Raphael, and the Italian composer and musician Ezio Romano (1896-1962), known for his compositions and arrangements of popular Italian songs.

The Romano surname has since spread beyond Italy and can be found in various regions around the world, particularly in areas with significant Italian immigration, such as the United States, Canada, and South America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Romano

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

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 Romano was:

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

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

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

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