2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Rura
A habitational name for someone from a rural area or village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Rura. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Rura 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Rura in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Rura, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Rura
The surname RURA has its origins in Italy, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word 'rura,' meaning 'rural' or 'countryside.' This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who resided in rural areas or were involved in agricultural activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name RURA can be found in the historical records of the town of Sorrento, located in the Campania region of Italy. In a document dated 1567, a certain Giovanni RURA is mentioned as a landowner in the area, indicating that the name was already established at that time.
During the 17th century, the RURA surname gained prominence in the Sicilian town of Palermo. Historical records from that period mention a family of musicians and composers bearing the RURA name, including Vincenzo RURA (1628-1697), who served as the maestro di cappella at the Palermo Cathedral.
In the 18th century, the RURA name found its way to the island of Sardinia, where it is believed to have been introduced by migrants from the Italian mainland. One notable figure from this era was Antonio RURA (1721-1793), a renowned sculptor who contributed to the artistic heritage of the city of Cagliari.
As the centuries progressed, the RURA surname spread to various regions of Italy, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields. One such individual was Giuseppe RURA (1865-1932), a prominent Italian politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies, representing the city of Turin.
Another notable figure was Maria RURA (1890-1968), a celebrated Italian writer and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her collection of poems, "Canti dell'Anima" (Songs of the Soul), published in 1925, received critical acclaim and solidified her place in the literary landscape of the time.
Throughout its history, the RURA surname has maintained a strong connection to its rural and agricultural roots, reflecting the enduring ties between family names and the landscapes they originated from. While the name may have evolved and spread across various regions, its essence remains rooted in the Italian countryside from whence it emerged.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Rura
Among Census respondents with the surname Rura, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Rura 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 Rura surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Rura
Rura 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-22 bearers (-16.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,603 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 630 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-16.1%) | Down 26,603 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 630 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 Rura 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 | #144,141 | #143,511 | 0.4% |
| Count | 115 | 118 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Rura bearers went from 115 to 118 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 630 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #143,511.
FAQ
Rura surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Rura?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Rura. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Rura?
Rura ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Rura. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Rura.
Has Rura become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Rura went from 115 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #144,141 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Rura?
Among Census respondents with the surname Rura, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Rura in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Rura appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Black (0.8%). 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 Rura (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 Rura mean?
A habitational name for someone from a rural area or village. 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 Rura (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 Rura?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.