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

Celestine, 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 Celestine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Celestine in America

Celestine is the 7145th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Celestine surname appeared 4,680 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Celestine.

We can also compare 2010 data for Celestine 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 Celestine

The surname Celestine is derived from the Latin name "Caelestinus", which means "heavenly" or "celestial". It originated in Italy during the Middle Ages and was likely a nickname given to someone with a particularly spiritual or pious demeanor.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Celestine can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Tuscany and Lazio in central Italy. It was often spelled as "Celestino" or "Celesti" in these early records.

One of the most notable historical figures with the surname Celestine was Pope Celestine V, born Pietro del Murrone in 1215 in the Abruzzi region of Italy. He was elected Pope in 1294 but resigned just five months later, becoming the first Pope to voluntarily abdicate the papacy. He was canonized in 1313 and is remembered for his humility and ascetic lifestyle.

Another notable figure was the Italian architect and sculptor Giacomo Celestine, who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He is best known for his work on the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome and the Church of San Bernardo alle Terme in Rome.

In the 16th century, the surname Celestine appeared in records from the city of Siena, where a family of that name was known for their involvement in the textile trade. One member, Giovanni Celestine, was a prominent merchant and served as a city councilor in the 1540s.

In the 17th century, a French branch of the Celestine family emerged in the region of Provence. Jean-Baptiste Celestine, born in 1633, was a renowned painter and engraver who worked in Paris and received commissions from the French royal court.

Another notable figure was the Italian philosopher and theologian Celestine Galiani, who lived from 1681 to 1753. He was a prominent figure in the Enlightenment movement and wrote extensively on topics such as economics, ethics, and religious philosophy.

While the surname Celestine has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including religious figures, artists, merchants, and scholars, reflecting its celestial origins and associations with spirituality and intellectual pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Celestine

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

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

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

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