2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vigliano
An Italian surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone originally from the town of Vigliano.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Vigliano. 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 Vigliano 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 Vigliano 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 Vigliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vigliano
The surname Vigliano is of Italian origin, specifically from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. It is believed to have derived from the name of the town of Vigliano d'Asti, located in the province of Asti. The name itself is likely of Latin origin, possibly stemming from the word "vigilantia," meaning vigilance or watchfulness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vigliano can be found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as "Viglanus." This suggests that the name has been in use for several centuries, likely originating as a locational surname referring to individuals who hailed from the town of Vigliano d'Asti or its surrounding areas.
In the 14th century, the name Vigliano appeared in various records and manuscripts from the Piedmont region. Notably, a certain Giovanni Vigliano was mentioned as a landowner in the village of Canelli in 1378. This provides evidence of the name's prominence in the area during the medieval period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Vigliano. One such person was Giacomo Vigliano (1592-1648), an Italian painter and architect who was active in Turin during the Baroque period. His works can be found in various churches and palaces across northern Italy.
Another notable figure was Pietro Vigliano (1771-1836), an Italian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia in the early 19th century. He played a significant role in the political landscape of the time and was known for his advocacy of constitutional reforms.
In the realm of literature, a writer named Carlo Vigliano (1856-1924) gained recognition for his novels and short stories depicting the lives and struggles of the rural population in Piedmont. His works provided valuable insights into the social and cultural dynamics of the region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Towards the end of the 20th century, Guido Vigliano (1937-2005) made a name for himself as a renowned Italian journalist and author. He wrote extensively on political and social issues, contributing to various publications and earning respect for his incisive analysis and commentary.
It is worth noting that the surname Vigliano has undergone some variations in spelling over time, with alternative forms such as Viglano, Viglieno, and Viglieno appearing in historical records. Additionally, the name has been associated with certain place names, such as Vigliano Biellese, a commune in the province of Biella, further highlighting its locational origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vigliano
Among Census respondents with the surname Vigliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Vigliano 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 Vigliano surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino10.2% · 12
- Two or more races5.1% · 6
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vigliano
Vigliano 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,312 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 362 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,312 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 362 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 Vigliano 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 | #143,149 | #143,511 | -0.3% |
| Count | 116 | 118 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vigliano bearers went from 116 to 118 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 362 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #143,511.
FAQ
Vigliano surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vigliano?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Vigliano. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Vigliano?
Vigliano 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 Vigliano. 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 Vigliano.
Has Vigliano become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vigliano went from 116 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Vigliano?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vigliano, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.2%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Vigliano in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vigliano appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Hispanic (10.2%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Vigliano (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 Vigliano mean?
An Italian surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone originally from the town of Vigliano. 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 Vigliano (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 common is the surname Vigliano?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Vigliano on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.