2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Varanese
A surname originating from Varanese, Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Varanese. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Varanese 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Varanese in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Varanese, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Varanese
The surname Varanese is of Italian origin, with roots dating back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Varese, a province located in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. The name is derived from the Latin word "Varanus," which means "of Varese" or "from Varese."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Varanese surname can be found in official documents from the city of Varese, dating back to the 13th century. These records suggest that the name was initially used to identify individuals who hailed from the town or its surrounding areas.
During the Renaissance period, the Varanese family gained prominence in the region, with several members holding influential positions within the local political and ecclesiastical spheres. One notable figure was Francesco Varanese, a renowned lawyer and diplomat who served as an ambassador for the Duchy of Milan in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the Varanese surname appeared in various historical texts and records across northern Italy. For instance, the renowned scholar and humanist Girolamo Varanese (1490-1565) was celebrated for his contributions to classical literature and his extensive library, which was later donated to the University of Pavia.
Another prominent figure bearing the Varanese name was the Italian painter and architect Giovan Battista Varanese (1575-1645), who was renowned for his work in churches and palaces throughout the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont.
As the Varanese family spread across Italy, the surname underwent minor variations in spelling, such as Varanesi, Varanesse, and Varanesi. These variations often reflected regional dialects and local customs.
In the 18th century, the Varanese name gained international recognition through the works of the Italian poet and playwright Giuseppe Varanese (1710-1788), whose plays were widely performed in theaters across Europe.
Throughout history, the Varanese surname has been associated with various professions, from artists and scholars to politicians and industrialists. While the name may have originated in a specific region of Italy, its bearers have left their mark on the cultural and historical fabric of the country and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Varanese
Among Census respondents with the surname Varanese, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Varanese 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 Varanese surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Varanese
Varanese 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,027 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 630 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 11,027 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 630 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 Varanese 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 | #144,141 | #143,511 | 0.4% |
| Count | 115 | 118 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Varanese bearers went from 115 to 118 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 630 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #143,511.
FAQ
Varanese surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Varanese?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Varanese. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Varanese?
Varanese ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Varanese. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Varanese.
Has Varanese become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Varanese went from 115 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #144,141 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Varanese?
Among Census respondents with the surname Varanese, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Varanese in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Varanese appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Varanese (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 Varanese mean?
A surname originating from Varanese, Italy. 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 Varanese (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 have the last name Varanese?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Varanese at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.