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

Cicero, 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 Cicero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cicero in America

Cicero is the 9563rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cicero surname appeared 3,399 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cicero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cicero 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 Cicero

The surname Cicero is of Ancient Roman origin, derived from the Latin cognomen Cicero, which was bestowed upon a distinguished family of the Roman equestrian order during the 1st century BC. The name is thought to have originated from the Latin word "cicer," meaning chickpea, possibly alluding to a physical characteristic or occupation linked to the cultivation of this crop.

One of the earliest and most renowned bearers of this name was Marcus Tullius Cicero, the celebrated Roman statesman, orator, philosopher, and writer, who lived from 106 BC to 43 BC. His extensive writings and philosophical works played a pivotal role in shaping the development of Western thought and literature.

The surname Cicero can be traced back to various historical records and manuscripts from ancient times. It appeared in inscriptions on monuments, legal documents, and literary works authored by contemporaries of Marcus Tullius Cicero, cementing its place in Roman history.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Cicero continued to be used, particularly in Italy, where it was associated with noble families and scholars who revered the legacy of the great Roman orator. One notable figure was Quintus Tullius Cicero, a Roman politician and military leader who lived during the 1st century BC and was the younger brother of Marcus Tullius Cicero.

In the Renaissance period, the name Cicero gained renewed prominence as humanist scholars and writers drew inspiration from the works of Marcus Tullius Cicero. Prominent figures bearing this surname include Giovanni Battista Cicero (1518-1596), an Italian philosopher and humanist scholar, and Pier Vincenzo Cicero (1535-1612), an Italian jurist and writer.

As the surname Cicero spread throughout Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Ciceri, Cicieri, and Cicerone. These variations can be found in historical records and documents from different regions, reflecting the influence of local dialects and scribal traditions.

Other notable individuals with the surname Cicero include Quintus Tullius Cicero (102 BC-43 BC), a Roman statesman and military leader who served under Julius Caesar; Marco Tullio Cicerone (1528-1606), an Italian humanist scholar and philosopher; and Giacomo Cicero (1749-1812), an Italian painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cicero

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

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

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

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