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

Belli, 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 Belli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belli in America

Belli is the 15303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belli surname appeared 1,918 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 Belli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belli 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 Belli

The surname Belli is of Italian origin, derived from the adjective "bello," meaning "beautiful" or "handsome." It is believed to have emerged as a surname during the late medieval period, possibly as a nickname or descriptive name referring to someone's physical appearance or character.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Belli can be found in the Italian city of Siena in the 13th century. In 1260, a document mentions a certain Bindo Belli, a prominent merchant and member of the influential Belli family.

The Belli surname has its roots in various regions of Italy, particularly in Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. It was also found in other parts of the country, such as Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, suggesting that the name may have originated independently in different areas.

In the 14th century, the Belli family rose to prominence in the city of Perugia, where they held influential positions in the local government and played a significant role in the city's political and cultural life. One notable member of this family was Valerio Belli (1468-1546), a renowned jurist and legal scholar who served as a counselor to Pope Clement VII.

During the Renaissance period, the Belli surname was associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. Valerio Belli (1510-1584), a sculptor and architect from Vicenza, was renowned for his works in the Venetian Republic. Another prominent figure was Giambattista Belli (1548-1644), an Italian painter and architect who worked in Rome and was a prominent member of the Accademia di San Luca.

In the 17th century, the Belli name gained further recognition with the birth of Giuseppe Gioachino Belli (1791-1863), a renowned poet from Rome. Belli is celebrated for his sonnets written in the Roman dialect, which provided a vivid depiction of the everyday life and culture of the city's working-class population.

Other notable individuals with the surname Belli include Tommaso Belli (1737-1806), an Italian architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Rome, and Giuseppe Belli (1790-1876), an Italian sculptor known for his neoclassical works.

Throughout its history, the Belli surname has been associated with various professions, from merchants and artisans to intellectuals, artists, and government officials, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belli

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

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

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

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