Find out how popular the last name Altema is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Altema.

Altema, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Altema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Altema in America

Altema is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Altema surname appeared 156 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Altema.

We can also compare 2010 data for Altema to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Altema

The surname Altema has its origins in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It can be traced back to the late 15th century, when it was likely derived from the Italian word "alta," meaning "high," and "tema," meaning "theme" or "subject." This combination suggests that the name may have been originally bestowed upon someone who lived in a high or elevated area, or perhaps someone who spoke or wrote on lofty subjects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Altema can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the city of Bologna, where a certain Giovanni Altema is mentioned as a prominent member of the local clergy. This document provides a glimpse into the early use of the name and its association with the ecclesiastical community of the time.

In the 17th century, the Altema family appears to have spread to other parts of Italy, with records indicating their presence in cities like Venice and Genoa. During this period, a notable figure bearing the name was Alessandro Altema (1625-1692), a renowned painter who gained recognition for his religious works and portraits.

As the centuries progressed, the Altema name continued to be documented in various regions of Italy. In the 19th century, a prominent member of the family was Carlo Altema (1801-1876), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Italian parliament during the early years of the unified Italian state.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Altema was Giulia Altema (1842-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools for girls in the city of Milan and played a significant role in promoting educational opportunities for women in Italy.

Interestingly, the Altema name has also been associated with certain place names, particularly in the northern Italian regions. For instance, the town of Altema di Montagna, located in the province of Bergamo, may have derived its name from the presence of the Altema family in that area during the medieval or Renaissance period.

Throughout its history, the surname Altema has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Altema, Altima, and Altemma, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of different parts of Italy. While these variations exist, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Italian language and its cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Altema

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Altema.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Altema was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Altema has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Altema was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Altema, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!