Explore the Family Name Alto
The meaning of Alto
1. Altered form of Finnish Aalto. 2. Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese: nickname for a big man, from alto ‘tall, big’. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Arvo, Reino, Eino, Sulo, Waino.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Alto in the United States?
The surname Alto, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, saw a minor shift in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 28,617 in popularity, and by 2010, it dropped slightly to rank 28,650, marking a marginal decrease of 0.12%. However, the count of individuals with the Alto surname increased from 784 in 2000 to 832 in 2010, recording a growth of 6.12%. The proportion per 100k people saw a slight dip of 3.45%, going from 0.29 in 2000 to 0.28 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #28,617 | #28,650 | -0.12% |
| Count | 784 | 832 | 6.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.29 | 0.28 | -3.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Alto
In terms of ethnicity, based on the Decennial U.S. Census, most individuals with the Alto surname identified as White, accounting for 73.98% in 2000 and 67.07% in 2010, reflecting a decrease of 9.34%. There was a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, rising from 6.76% in 2000 to 13.34% in 2010, an impressive surge of 97.34%. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and those with two or more races also saw increases of 0.83% and 20.69% respectively. In contrast, there were slight decreases among those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native, by 5.76% and 4.06% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 73.98% | 67.07% | -9.34% |
| Hispanic | 6.76% | 13.34% | 97.34% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 7.27% | 7.33% | 0.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 6.89% | 6.61% | -4.06% |
| Two or More Races | 3.19% | 3.85% | 20.69% |
| Black | 1.91% | 1.8% | -5.76% |