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

Cerna, 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 Cerna surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cerna in America

Cerna is the 6005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cerna surname appeared 5,726 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 Cerna.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cerna 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 Cerna

The surname Cerna is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Czech word "črna," which means "black" or "dark." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cerna surname can be found in a medieval document from the town of Olomouc, dating back to 1287. This document mentions a man named Petrus Czerny, which is an older spelling variation of the name.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Cerna surname was primarily concentrated in the regions of Bohemia and Moravia, which were part of the Kingdom of Bohemia at that time. The name appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, including land deeds and church registers.

In the 15th century, a notable individual bearing the Cerna surname was Jan Cerna (1380-1456), a Hussite theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Bohemian Reformation. He was a prominent figure in the Hussite movement and authored several treatises on religious reforms.

Another historical figure with the Cerna surname was Vaclav Cerna (1497-1567), a Czech mathematician and astronomer who worked at the court of King Ferdinand I of Bohemia. Cerna made contributions to the field of mathematics and was involved in astronomical observations and calculations.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cerna surname spread beyond the Czech lands as people migrated to other parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was Jan Václav Cerna (1702-1778), a Baroque composer and organist from Bohemia who composed several sacred works and organ pieces.

As the Cerna surname continued to disperse across Europe and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Černý, Černá, and Czerna, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions.

Throughout history, several other individuals with the Cerna surname have made notable contributions in various fields, including art, literature, and science. However, the examples provided above highlight some of the earliest and most prominent bearers of this surname from its place of origin in the Czech lands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cerna

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

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

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

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