2000
#32,652
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 663
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.25
Very Rare Last name
Ruffalo
A surname likely derived from the Italian word "ruffalo" meaning a small stream or brook.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 804 Americans carry the last name Ruffalo. That puts it at #34,739 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 426,311 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ruffalo 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
804
1 in 426,311
Census rank
#34,739
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
701
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 701 bearers of the surname Ruffalo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34739th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruffalo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ruffalo
The surname Ruffalo is of Italian origin, deriving from the region of Campania in southern Italy. It is believed to have emerged in the 14th century as a variation of the Italian word "ruffo," meaning "reddish" or "reddish-brown." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone with reddish hair or a ruddy complexion.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Ruffalo can be traced back to the town of Nola, located near Naples in the Campania region. In medieval records from the 1300s, variations such as "Ruffalus" and "Rufalo" can be found, indicating the name's evolution over time.
One notable historical figure bearing the Ruffalo surname was Pietro Ruffalo, a prominent merchant and banker who lived in Naples during the late 15th century. His business dealings and wealth made him a influential figure in the city's economic affairs.
In the 16th century, the name Ruffalo appeared in several historical documents related to the Kingdom of Naples, including tax records and property deeds. This suggests that the name had gained some prominence among the local population during this period.
Another notable individual with the Ruffalo surname was Gianfranco Ruffalo, a renowned artist and sculptor who lived in the city of Salerno in the 17th century. His works, which included intricate sculptures and religious art, can still be found in various churches and museums throughout the region.
In the 18th century, the name Ruffalo was also found in records from the town of Avellino, located in the neighboring Campania region. One such individual was Antonio Ruffalo, a respected lawyer and legal scholar who authored several influential texts on local laws and customs.
As the Ruffalo name spread throughout Italy and beyond, it encountered variations in spelling and pronunciation. In some regions, it was recorded as "Rufalo" or "Ruffalo," while in others, it took on forms such as "Ruffoli" or "Ruffali."
Throughout its history, the Ruffalo surname has maintained a strong association with its Italian roots, particularly in the Campania region. While the name has since spread to other parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the reddish-hued landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage of southern Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ruffalo
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruffalo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ruffalo 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 Ruffalo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.0% · 617
- Hispanic or Latino7.4% · 52
- Two or more races4.0% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ruffalo
Ruffalo 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
#33,280
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 687
+24 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Down 628 places
2020
#34,739
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 701
+14 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.23
Rank movement Down 1,459 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #32,652 | 663 | 0.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #33,280 | 687 | 0.23 | +24 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 628 places |
| 2020 | #34,739 | 701 | 0.23 | +14 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 1,459 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 Ruffalo 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 | #33,280 | #34,739 | -4.4% |
| Count | 687 | 701 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.23 | 0.23 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ruffalo bearers went from 687 to 701 (+2.0% change). The surname moved down 1,459 positions in the national ranking, going from #33,280 to #34,739.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ruffalo
FAQ
Ruffalo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ruffalo?
Name Census estimates that about 804 living Americans carry the surname Ruffalo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 426,311 residents.
How common is Ruffalo?
Ruffalo ranks #34,739 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.23 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 701 people with the surname Ruffalo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (804), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.23 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 Ruffalo.
Has Ruffalo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ruffalo went from 687 recorded bearers to 701. That is an increase of 14 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #33,280 to #34,739.
What does the Census say about the background of Ruffalo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruffalo, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Ruffalo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.0% (617 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ruffalo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.0%), Hispanic (7.4%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Ruffalo (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 Ruffalo mean?
A surname likely derived from the Italian word "ruffalo" meaning a small stream or brook. 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 Ruffalo (0.23 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 common is the surname Ruffalo?
Want to know how many people are called Ruffalo? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.