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

Balli, 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 Balli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balli in America

Balli is the 17888th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balli surname appeared 1,563 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Balli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balli 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 Balli

The surname Balli is of Italian origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in the areas around Milan and Bergamo. The name is derived from the Italian word "ballo," which means "dance" or "ball."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balli can be found in a manuscript from the Monastery of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, dated around 1180. The document mentions a certain "Guglielmo Balli," who was a member of the local nobility.

In the 13th century, the name Balli appeared in several historical records from the city of Bergamo. One notable mention is from the "Codice Diplomatico Bergomense," which refers to a "Giacomo Balli" who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region.

During the Renaissance period, the Balli family gained prominence in various parts of Italy. In the 15th century, a renowned artist named Giovanni Balli (1443-1515) was active in the city of Pavia, where he created several frescoes and altarpieces for local churches.

Another notable figure with the surname Balli was Girolamo Balli (1522-1589), a humanist scholar and diplomat from Venice. He served as an ambassador for the Venetian Republic and wrote several treatises on politics and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Balli family had a strong presence in the city of Bologna. One of the most famous members was Bartolomeo Balli (1615-1687), a renowned architect who designed several churches and palaces in the Baroque style.

The surname Balli has also been associated with various place names in Italy. For instance, there is a small village called "Balli" in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont, which may have derived its name from the Balli family who once owned lands in that area.

While the name Balli is not as common today as it was in past centuries, it continues to be present in various parts of Italy, particularly in the northern regions. Throughout history, the Balli surname has been associated with individuals from diverse fields, including the arts, academia, politics, and architecture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balli

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

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 Balli 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 Balli 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 Balli was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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