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

Cereno, 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 Cereno surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cereno in America

Cereno is the 135593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cereno surname appeared 124 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 Cereno.

The history of the last name Cereno

The surname Cereno is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. It is thought to have derived from the Latin word "cerinus," which means "wax-colored" or "pale yellow." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a fair or pale complexion.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Cereno can be found in the 14th century, when it appeared in various documents from the city of Bologna, Italy. In these records, the name was often spelled as "Cerini" or "Cerino," which were likely variations of the same surname.

During the Renaissance period, a notable individual bearing the surname Cereno was Giacomo Cereno, a painter who lived in Bologna in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. His works were primarily religious frescoes and altarpieces, which can still be found in various churches throughout the Emilia-Romagna region.

In the 17th century, the name Cereno gained some literary significance with the publication of Herman Melville's novella "Benito Cereno." The story's protagonist, a Spanish sea captain, shares this surname, although Melville's choice of the name was likely intentional and symbolic rather than based on any specific historical figure.

Another notable figure with the surname Cereno was Giuseppe Cereno (1738-1814), an Italian architect and engineer who was involved in the construction of several important buildings in Bologna and the surrounding areas. His most famous work is the Church of San Benedetto in Ferrara, which he designed in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, a prominent Italian politician and diplomat named Giovanni Cereno (1815-1892) held various diplomatic positions for the Kingdom of Italy, including serving as the Italian ambassador to France and the United Kingdom.

While the surname Cereno is not particularly common, it can still be found in various parts of Italy, particularly in the regions where it is believed to have originated. However, due to migration patterns and the spread of Italian communities worldwide, individuals with this surname may also be found in other countries, especially those with significant Italian diasporas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cereno

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

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 Cereno 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.

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

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

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