Find out how popular the last name Traverso is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Traverso.

Traverso, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Traverso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Traverso in America

Traverso is the 21483rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Traverso surname appeared 1,216 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Traverso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Traverso to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Traverso

The surname Traverso is of Italian origin and is believed to have originated in the region of Liguria, located in northwestern Italy, sometime during the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Italian word "traverso," which means "across" or "traverse," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near or owned land situated across a river, valley, or other geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Traverso surname can be found in a document from the city of Genoa, dated 1289, which mentions a certain "Guglielmo Traverso." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Traverso name appears in various records from the towns of Finale Ligure and Calice Ligure, both located in the province of Savona, Liguria. These records indicate that members of the Traverso family held positions of importance and were involved in local governance and trade.

During the Renaissance period, the Traverso surname gained broader recognition due to the achievements of several notable individuals. One such figure was Girolamo Traverso (c. 1490-1570), a Genoese architect and sculptor who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in Genoa and surrounding areas.

Another prominent figure was Andrea Traverso (1571-1644), a Genoese merchant and banker who amassed a considerable fortune through his international trade ventures. His success allowed him to become a significant patron of the arts, commissioning works from renowned painters and sculptors of the time.

In the 17th century, the Traverso name was also associated with the world of music. Giovanni Battista Traverso (1626-1686) was a composer and violinist from Genoa who served as the court musician for the Duke of Mantua and later became a member of the renowned Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna.

As the Traverso family spread beyond the borders of Liguria, the name appeared in various regions of Italy, including Piedmont, Lombardy, and Tuscany. In the 19th century, Alessandro Traverso (1818-1898), a politician and lawyer from Turin, played a significant role in the unification of Italy and served as a member of the Italian Parliament.

Throughout history, the Traverso surname has maintained a strong presence in Italy and has been carried by numerous individuals who have made valuable contributions to various fields, including architecture, commerce, music, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Traverso

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Traverso.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Traverso was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Traverso has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Traverso was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Traverso, please contact us.

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