2000
#94,676
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 179
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Tonello
A name of Italian origin indicating a person of small or short stature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 278 Americans carry the last name Tonello. That puts it at #83,650 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,232,929 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tonello 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
278
1 in 1,232,929
Census rank
#83,650
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
242
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 242 bearers of the surname Tonello in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 83650th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tonello
The surname Tonello is of Italian origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the Veneto region of northern Italy, particularly in the areas around Venice and Padua.
One of the earliest known references to the name Tonello can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Tonellus," a Latin diminutive form derived from the Italian word "tonello," meaning a small barrel or cask. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone involved in the production or trade of barrels or casks.
During the Renaissance period, the Tonello family gained prominence in the city of Venice, with several members holding influential positions within the Venetian Republic. One notable figure was Marco Tonello (1525-1598), a successful merchant and diplomat who represented Venice in various diplomatic missions across Europe.
In the 17th century, a branch of the Tonello family settled in the nearby city of Padua, where they became known for their contributions to the arts and academia. Giovanni Battista Tonello (1638-1718) was a renowned painter and fresco artist, whose works can still be admired in various churches and palaces throughout the Veneto region.
Another prominent figure was Antonio Tonello (1745-1823), a renowned physician and professor at the University of Padua. His groundbreaking research in the field of anatomy and physiology earned him widespread recognition and influenced generations of medical students.
As the Tonello family spread across Italy and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Tonelli, Tonellini, and Tonellato. One notable bearer of these variations was the Italian philosopher and theologian Matteo Tonelli (1505-1586), who played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation and was a vocal opponent of the Protestant Reformation.
In the 19th century, the Tonello name gained international recognition with the success of the Italian opera composer Pietro Tonello (1829-1903), whose works were performed in some of the most prestigious opera houses across Europe.
Throughout its history, the surname Tonello has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artisans, merchants, academics, and artists, all contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of Italy and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tonello
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Tonello 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 Tonello surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 219
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.1% · 5
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tonello
Tonello 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
#91,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 202
+23 bearers (+12.8%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 3,455 places
2020
#83,650
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 242
+40 bearers (+19.8%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 7,571 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #94,676 | 179 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #91,221 | 202 | 0.07 | +23 bearers (+12.8%) | Up 3,455 places |
| 2020 | #83,650 | 242 | 0.08 | +40 bearers (+19.8%) | Up 7,571 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 Tonello 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 | #91,221 | #83,650 | 8.3% |
| Count | 202 | 242 | 19.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.08 | 15.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tonello bearers went from 202 to 242 (+19.8% change). The surname moved up 7,571 positions in the national ranking, going from #91,221 to #83,650.
FAQ
Tonello surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tonello?
Name Census estimates that about 278 living Americans carry the surname Tonello. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,232,929 residents.
How common is Tonello?
Tonello ranks #83,650 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 242 people with the surname Tonello. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (278), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Tonello.
Has Tonello become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tonello went from 202 recorded bearers to 242. That is an increase of 40 (+19.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #91,221 to #83,650.
What does the Census say about the background of Tonello?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tonello, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%). 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 Tonello in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (219 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tonello appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Hispanic (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.1%). 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 Tonello (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 Tonello mean?
A name of Italian origin indicating a person of small or short stature. 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 Tonello (0.08 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 are called Tonello?
You can see how common the surname Tonello is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.