2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ruzzano
An Italian surname originating from the village of Ruzzano, likely referring to someone who lived there.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Ruzzano. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ruzzano 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Ruzzano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruzzano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ruzzano
The surname Ruzzano is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the region of Veneto in northeastern Italy. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in the historical records of the city of Venice, where a family bearing the name Ruzzano is documented as having resided in the sestiere (district) of Cannaregio. This suggests that the name may have originated from a nickname or a place name within this area.
While the exact etymology of Ruzzano is uncertain, some scholars believe it may be derived from the Italian word "ruzzo," which translates to "rough" or "unrefined." This could potentially indicate that the name was initially bestowed upon an ancestor with a rugged or uncouth demeanor.
Another theory posits that Ruzzano may have originated from a contracted or diminutive form of a longer name, such as Rodolfo or Ruggero, both of which were common in the region during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ruzzano can be found in the 14th century, when a Venetian nobleman named Ruzzano Ruzzano held a prominent position within the influential Ruzzano family. This family played a significant role in the political and economic affairs of the Venetian Republic during the Renaissance period.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Pietro Ruzzano (1423-1490) emerged as a respected Venetian scholar, humanist, and diplomat. He served as a ambassador for the Republic of Venice and was renowned for his literary contributions.
Another individual of note was Giovanni Battista Ruzzano (1552-1619), a prominent architect and engineer who was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings and fortifications in Venice and the surrounding areas.
During the 18th century, a Venetian nobleman named Alvise Ruzzano (1705-1774) gained recognition for his patronage of the arts and his role in preserving the cultural heritage of Venice.
In more recent times, the surname Ruzzano has been carried by individuals such as Lucio Ruzzano (1924-2004), an Italian film director and screenwriter who made significant contributions to the Italian cinema industry.
These examples illustrate the longstanding presence and influence of the Ruzzano surname throughout the history of Italy, particularly in the region of Veneto and the city of Venice, where it has been associated with notable figures from various fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ruzzano
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruzzano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ruzzano 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 Ruzzano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ruzzano
Ruzzano 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+16 bearers (+15.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,520 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-10 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,627 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.1%) | Up 6,520 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 10,627 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 Ruzzano 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 | #137,327 | #147,954 | -7.7% |
| Count | 122 | 112 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ruzzano bearers went from 122 to 112 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 10,627 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #147,954.
FAQ
Ruzzano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ruzzano?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Ruzzano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Ruzzano?
Ruzzano ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Ruzzano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Ruzzano.
Has Ruzzano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ruzzano went from 122 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Ruzzano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ruzzano, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Ruzzano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ruzzano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Ruzzano (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 Ruzzano mean?
An Italian surname originating from the village of Ruzzano, likely referring to someone who lived there. 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 Ruzzano (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 common is the surname Ruzzano?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Ruzzano on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.