Sorbo
Italian surname representing someone from the town of Sorbo in Italy.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Sorbo. That puts it at #49,723 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sorbo surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#49,723
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
422
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 422 bearers of the surname Sorbo in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49723rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sorbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sorbo
The surname Sorbo has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 12th and 14th centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Latin word "sorbum," meaning "service tree" or a type of wild mountain ash tree.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sorbo can be found in the Codice Diplomatico della Lombardia, a collection of historical documents from the region of Lombardy, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already established in that area during that time.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Sorbo (c. 1320 - 1390) was a prominent jurist and legal scholar in the city of Bologna. His works on canon law and civil law were widely studied and referenced during the Renaissance period.
Another early record of the name comes from the Florentine Catasto of 1427, a census-like document that recorded the names and property holdings of residents in Florence. Several households with the surname Sorbo were listed, indicating that the name had spread to other parts of northern Italy by that time.
During the 15th century, a branch of the Sorbo family settled in the town of Chieri, near Turin in the Piedmont region. One member, Stefano Sorbo (c. 1455 - 1522), was a respected physician and author of medical treatises on various topics, including the treatment of plague.
In the 16th century, the Sorbo name gained further prominence with the birth of Fabrizio Sorbo (1541 - 1613), a renowned architect and engineer from Milan. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Church of San Fedele and the Palazzo della Ragione in his hometown.
As the centuries passed, the Sorbo surname continued to spread across Italy and beyond, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. While the name may have originated from a humble reference to a type of tree, it has become woven into the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sorbo
Among Census respondents with the surname Sorbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Sorbo bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Sorbo surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.8%
- Unknown or suppressed1.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sorbo surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #46,523 | #49,723 | -6.9% |
| Count | 431 | 422 | -2.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.16 | 0.14 | -12.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Sorbo bearers went from 431 to 422 (-2.1% change). The surname moved down 3,200 positions in the national ranking, going from #46,523 to #49,723.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sorbo
FAQ
Sorbo surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sorbo?
The surname Sorbo holds position #49,723 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sorbo surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sorbo, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.