2000
#9,992
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,976
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.10
Rare Last name
Desalvo
An Italian occupational surname referring to someone who removed salt from something, such as a desalinator or salt miner.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,164 Americans carry the last name Desalvo. That puts it at #11,008 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.92 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 108,329 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Desalvo 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
3.2K
1 in 108,329
Census rank
#11,008
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,759 bearers of the surname Desalvo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.92 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11008th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Desalvo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Desalvo
The surname DESALVO originated in Italy, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Italian phrase "de salvo," which means "of safety" or "safe." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to someone who lived in a secure or protected area.
The earliest recorded instances of the DESALVO surname can be found in historical documents from the regions of Campania and Calabria in southern Italy. These regions were known for their strong fortifications and defensive structures during the medieval and Renaissance periods, making it a fitting place for the name to emerge.
In the late 16th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Naples, where a prominent family by the name of DESALVO held influential positions within the local government. One notable member, Girolamo DESALVO (1556-1623), served as a magistrate and played a key role in the city's judicial system.
As the DESALVO family expanded and migrated to other parts of Italy, their name can be found in various historical records and manuscripts. In the 17th century, a branch of the family settled in the region of Tuscany, where the name was sometimes spelled as "DeSalvi" or "DeSalvis."
One of the most renowned individuals with the DESALVO surname was the Italian painter and engraver, Giuseppe DESALVO (1695-1763). Born in Naples, he gained recognition for his religious artwork and frescoes adorning many churches throughout Italy.
In the 19th century, the DESALVO name gained prominence in the field of literature. Antonio DESALVO (1814-1887), a Sicilian poet and playwright, was celebrated for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Another notable figure was the Italian-American businessman and philanthropist, Michael DESALVO (1892-1972). Born in Sicily, he immigrated to the United States and founded a successful construction company in New York City. He was known for his generous contributions to various charitable organizations and institutions.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and notable individuals associated with the surname DESALVO, a name that has its roots deeply embedded in the cultural and historical fabric of Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Desalvo
Among Census respondents with the surname Desalvo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Desalvo 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 Desalvo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 2,535
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 123
- Two or more races2.4% · 66
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 18
- Black or African American0.4% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Desalvo
Desalvo 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
#10,866
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,932
-44 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 874 places
2020
#11,008
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,759
-173 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Down 142 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,992 | 2,976 | 1.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,866 | 2,932 | 0.99 | -44 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 874 places |
| 2020 | #11,008 | 2,759 | 0.92 | -173 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 142 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 Desalvo 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 | #10,866 | #11,008 | -1.3% |
| Count | 2,932 | 2,759 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 0.92 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Desalvo bearers went from 2,932 to 2,759 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 142 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,866 to #11,008.
FAQ
Desalvo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Desalvo?
Name Census estimates that about 3,164 living Americans carry the surname Desalvo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 108,329 residents.
How common is Desalvo?
Desalvo ranks #11,008 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.92 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 2,759 people with the surname Desalvo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,164), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.92 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.92 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 Desalvo.
Has Desalvo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Desalvo went from 2,932 recorded bearers to 2,759. That is a decrease of 173 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,866 to #11,008.
What does the Census say about the background of Desalvo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Desalvo, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Desalvo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (2,535 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Desalvo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Hispanic (4.5%), Two or More Races (2.4%). 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 Desalvo (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 Desalvo mean?
An Italian occupational surname referring to someone who removed salt from something, such as a desalinator or salt miner. 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 Desalvo (0.92 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 surname Desalvo?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.