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

Calmese, 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 Calmese surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Calmese in America

Calmese is the 59901st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Calmese surname appeared 337 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 Calmese.

We can also compare 2010 data for Calmese 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 Calmese

The surname CALMESE originates from Italy, specifically the region of Calabria in the south. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th century, derived from the Latin word "calamus," meaning "reed." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with those who lived near or worked with reeds, perhaps as weavers or basket makers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CALMESE surname can be found in a legal document from the town of Cosenza, dated 1287. The document mentions a landowner named Giovanni CALMESE, who was involved in a property dispute. This provides evidence that the surname was already established in Calabria by the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the CALMESE name appeared in the records of the city of Reggio Calabria, where a notable family bearing the surname was involved in the local silk trade. Several members of this family, including Domenico CALMESE (1423-1498) and his son, Antonio CALMESE (1458-1521), were respected merchants and landowners.

During the 16th century, the CALMESE surname spread beyond Calabria, with records indicating individuals bearing the name in other parts of southern Italy, such as Sicily and Campania. One notable figure from this period was Pietro CALMESE (1512-1589), a renowned architect from Naples who designed several churches and palaces in the city.

As the centuries progressed, the CALMESE surname continued to be found across Italy, with some individuals achieving notable status. In the 18th century, Giuseppe CALMESE (1721-1795) was a respected scholar and philosopher from Palermo, Sicily, who wrote extensively on ethics and political theory.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Lorenzo CALMESE (1832-1902) was a prominent lawyer and politician from Calabria, who served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a role in the unification of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II.

Throughout its history, the CALMESE surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Calmesi, Calmese, and Calmesu, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic variations within Italy. Despite these variations, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Latin word "calamus" and its association with reeds and related crafts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Calmese

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

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

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

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