2010
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Russitano
A surname of Italian origin meaning "from Russia" or "the Russian".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Russitano. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Russitano 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Russitano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Russitano, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Russitano
The surname Russitano originates from Italy, first appearing in historical records during the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the town of Rossitano, located in the province of Palermo, Sicily. The name is derived from the Latin word "russus," meaning red or reddish, likely referring to the reddish color of the soil or terrain in the area.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Russitano can be found in a document from the 13th century, which recorded a land transaction involving a person named Guglielmo Russitano. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Sicily at that time.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Russitano was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Rossitano. His name appears in several local records and legal documents from that era.
During the Renaissance period, the Russitano family gained significant prominence and wealth in Sicily. In the late 15th century, Tommaso Russitano was a renowned scholar and humanist, known for his contributions to the study of classical literature.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Russitano family migrated to Naples, where they established themselves as influential members of the local nobility. One notable individual from this lineage was Antonio Russitano, a prominent lawyer and judge who served in the Neapolitan courts during the reign of King Charles III.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals bearing the Russitano surname achieved recognition in various fields. Pietro Russitano was a celebrated painter and artist who lived in Palermo during the late 18th century. His works can still be found in several churches and galleries across Sicily.
Another notable figure was Giuseppe Russitano, a prominent musician and composer who lived in the early 19th century. He was renowned for his operas and compositions, which were performed throughout Italy and parts of Europe.
In more recent times, the surname Russitano has spread beyond Italy, with families bearing this name found in various parts of the world, including North and South America, as well as other European countries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Russitano
Among Census respondents with the surname Russitano, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Russitano 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 Russitano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino5.6% · 6
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Russitano
Russitano appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-18 bearers (-14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,072 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-14.3%) | Down 17,072 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 Russitano 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 | #133,863 | #150,935 | -12.8% |
| Count | 126 | 108 | -14.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Russitano bearers went from 126 to 108 (-14.3% change). The surname moved down 17,072 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #150,935.
FAQ
Russitano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Russitano?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Russitano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Russitano?
Russitano ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Russitano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Russitano.
Has Russitano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Russitano went from 126 recorded bearers to 108. That is a decrease of 18 (-14.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Russitano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Russitano, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.6%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Russitano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Russitano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (5.6%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Russitano (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 Russitano mean?
A surname of Italian origin meaning "from Russia" or "the Russian". 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 Russitano (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 share the surname Russitano?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.