2000
#9,563
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.16
Rare Last name
Urbano
Derived from the Italian word "urbano," meaning "urban" or "from the city."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,925 Americans carry the last name Urbano. That puts it at #7,478 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 69,595 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Urbano 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
4.9K
1 in 69,595
Census rank
#7,478
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,295 bearers of the surname Urbano in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7478th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Urbano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.3%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (14.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Urbano
The surname Urbano is of Italian origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "urbanus," which means "of or belonging to a city or town." This name was likely given to individuals who lived in or were associated with a particular urban settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Urbano can be found in the historical records of the city of Florence, Italy, in the 13th century. These records mention a notable figure named Guido Urbano, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region during that time.
In the 14th century, the surname Urbano appeared in various documents and manuscripts from different parts of Italy, including the cities of Venice and Naples. Some of these records mention individuals with the surname who held positions of importance, such as magistrates or members of the clergy.
During the Renaissance period, the surname Urbano gained further prominence. One notable figure was Giovanni Urbano, an Italian architect and sculptor who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his work on several churches and palaces in Rome and other Italian cities.
Another significant individual with the surname Urbano was Alessandro Urbano, an Italian painter and engraver who lived in the 17th century. He was renowned for his religious works and portraits, some of which can still be found in churches and museums across Italy.
In the 18th century, the surname Urbano was associated with several notable authors and intellectuals. One example is Pietro Urbano, an Italian philosopher and writer who published works on ethics and moral philosophy.
Throughout history, the surname Urbano has also been linked to various place names and older spellings. For instance, the town of Urbino in central Italy is believed to have contributed to the development of the surname, with some records showing variations such as "Urbinati" or "Urbinate."
While the surname Urbano has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Italian immigration. However, it is important to note that the information provided here focuses primarily on the historical background and origins of the surname within Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Urbano
Among Census respondents with the surname Urbano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.3%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (14.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Urbano 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 Urbano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino63.3% · 2,718
- White19.0% · 818
- Asian and Pacific Islander14.4% · 617
- Two or more races1.7% · 75
- Black or African American1.5% · 63
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Urbano
Urbano 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
#7,612
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,368
+1,249 bearers (+40.0%)
Per 100,000 1.48
Rank movement Up 1,951 places
2020
#7,478
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,295
-73 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 1.44
Rank movement Up 134 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,563 | 3,119 | 1.16 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,612 | 4,368 | 1.48 | +1,249 bearers (+40.0%) | Up 1,951 places |
| 2020 | #7,478 | 4,295 | 1.44 | -73 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 134 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 Urbano 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 | #7,612 | #7,478 | 1.8% |
| Count | 4,368 | 4,295 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.48 | 1.44 | -2.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Urbano bearers went from 4,368 to 4,295 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 134 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,612 to #7,478.
FAQ
Urbano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Urbano?
Name Census estimates that about 4,925 living Americans carry the surname Urbano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 69,595 residents.
How common is Urbano?
Urbano ranks #7,478 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.44 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,295 people with the surname Urbano. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,925), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.44 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Urbano.
Has Urbano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Urbano went from 4,368 recorded bearers to 4,295. That is a decrease of 73 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,612 to #7,478.
What does the Census say about the background of Urbano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Urbano, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 63.3%. The next largest groups are White (19.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (14.4%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Urbano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.3% (2,718 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Urbano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (63.3%), White (19.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (14.4%). 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 Urbano (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 Urbano mean?
Derived from the Italian word "urbano," meaning "urban" or "from the city." 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 Urbano (1.44 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 have the last name Urbano?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Urbano? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.