2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Cerni
An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "cernus" meaning sieve maker or miller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Cerni. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Cerni surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Cerni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Cerni, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Cerni
The surname CERNI originated in Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "cernere," which means "to sift" or "to separate." This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations related to sifting or sorting materials, such as grains or flour.
One of the earliest known references to the CERNI surname can be found in a historical document from the city of Siena, dated 1271. This document mentions a certain "Giovanni Cerni," who was likely a resident of the area at that time.
During the Renaissance period, the CERNI name gained some prominence in the artistic circles of Florence. Notable figures included the painter Giacomo Cerni (1495-1568), whose works can still be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
In the 16th century, the CERNI family established themselves in the town of Montepulciano, where they were involved in the local wine trade. One prominent member, Antonio Cerni (1532-1602), was a successful merchant and vineyard owner.
As the name spread across Italy, it also appeared in different spelling variations, such as Cernij, Cherni, and Cerny. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and language differences within the country.
During the 19th century, the CERNI name found its way to other parts of Europe and even across the Atlantic. One notable individual was the Russian-born mathematician Andrei Cerni (1801-1876), who made significant contributions to the field of differential equations.
Another individual of note was the Italian-American artist Pio Cerni (1856-1935), who was known for his sculptural works and was commissioned to create several public monuments in the United States.
In the 20th century, the CERNI surname continued to be represented in various fields. One prominent figure was the Italian philosopher and writer Benedetto Cerni (1900-1979), whose works explored existentialism and the philosophy of science.
While the CERNI name has its roots in Italy, it has since spread across the globe, with descendants carrying on the legacy of this ancient surname in various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Cerni
Among Census respondents with the surname Cerni, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Cerni bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Cerni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.8% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino11.2% · 13
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Cerni
Cerni appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+6 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,385 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 887 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 3,385 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 887 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Cerni surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #144,141 | #145,028 | -0.6% |
| Count | 115 | 116 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Cerni bearers went from 115 to 116 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 887 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #145,028.
FAQ
Cerni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Cerni?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Cerni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Cerni?
Cerni ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Cerni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Cerni.
Has Cerni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Cerni went from 115 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Cerni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Cerni, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Cerni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.8% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Cerni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.8%), Hispanic (11.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Cerni (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Cerni mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Latin word "cernus" meaning sieve maker or miller. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Cerni (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Cerni?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Cerni on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.