2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Valoroso
An Italian surname meaning "valorous" or "brave."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Valoroso. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Valoroso 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Valoroso in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Valoroso, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (33.6%) and Two or More Races (15.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Valoroso
The surname Valoroso originates from Italy and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "valoroso," which means "valorous" or "courageous." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who exhibited bravery and valor in battle or other endeavors.
The earliest known records of the name Valoroso can be found in various Italian archives and historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For instance, a certain Guglielmo Valoroso was mentioned in a legal document from the city of Florence in 1288, indicating the presence of this surname in the Tuscan region during that time.
In the 15th century, the name Valoroso gained prominence with the rise of the noble Valoroso family in the city of Naples. This family played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the Kingdom of Naples, with several members holding important positions and titles. One notable figure was Gian Battista Valoroso (1490-1558), a renowned military commander who served under the Spanish Crown during the Italian Wars.
The name Valoroso can also be found in other regions of Italy, such as Piedmont and Lombardy, where variations like Valeroso and Valleroso were more common. In the 16th century, a branch of the Valoroso family settled in the city of Genoa, where they established themselves as influential merchants and bankers.
Another prominent individual bearing the surname Valoroso was Girolamo Valoroso (1565-1633), a Catholic priest and theologian from the city of Messina in Sicily. He was a respected scholar and authored several works on religious subjects during the Counter-Reformation era.
In the 18th century, the name Valoroso gained further recognition with Antonio Valoroso (1720-1788), a renowned painter and architect from the city of Palermo. His works can be found in numerous churches and palaces throughout Sicily, showcasing his skill and artistic mastery.
Over the centuries, the surname Valoroso has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, clergy, artists, and scholars. While not as widespread as some other Italian surnames, it has maintained a consistent presence throughout the country's history, reflecting the enduring spirit of valor and courage that the name represents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Valoroso
Among Census respondents with the surname Valoroso, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (33.6%) and Two or More Races (15.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Valoroso 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 Valoroso surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White40.0% · 44
- Asian and Pacific Islander33.6% · 37
- Two or more races15.5% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino10.0% · 11
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Valoroso
Valoroso 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+19 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,100 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-10 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,218 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 10,100 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 10,218 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 Valoroso 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 | #139,228 | #149,446 | -7.3% |
| Count | 120 | 110 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Valoroso bearers went from 120 to 110 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 10,218 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #149,446.
FAQ
Valoroso surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Valoroso?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Valoroso. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Valoroso?
Valoroso ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Valoroso. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Valoroso.
Has Valoroso become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Valoroso went from 120 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Valoroso?
Among Census respondents with the surname Valoroso, the largest self-reported group is White at 40.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (33.6%) and Two or More Races (15.5%). 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 Valoroso in the 2020 Census, accounting for 40.0% (44 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Valoroso appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (40.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (33.6%), Two or More Races (15.5%). 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 Valoroso (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 Valoroso mean?
An Italian surname meaning "valorous" or "brave." 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 Valoroso (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 many people are called Valoroso?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Valoroso at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.