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

Cornelia, 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 Cornelia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cornelia in America

Cornelia is the 62903rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cornelia surname appeared 318 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 Cornelia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cornelia 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 Cornelia

The surname Cornelia has its roots in ancient Rome, where it was a distinguished family name. It is derived from the Latin word "cornu," meaning horn, which may have been a reference to a physical characteristic or a symbolic representation.

The Cornelii were a prominent patrician family in ancient Rome, and several notable individuals bore this name. One of the earliest recorded examples is Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a Roman dictator who lived from 138 BC to 78 BC. He played a significant role in the Roman civil wars and was known for his military prowess.

Another famous bearer of the name was Gaius Cornelius Gallus, a Roman poet and politician who lived from around 70 BC to 26 BC. He was the first Roman to write poems in the style of the Greek poet Euphorio and is considered one of the earliest Latin love poets.

In the Middle Ages, the name Cornelia appeared in various records and manuscripts across Europe. For instance, it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the Renaissance period, the name Cornelia gained popularity due to the admiration for classical Roman culture. One notable figure was Cornelia Piccolomini, an Italian noblewoman who lived from 1520 to 1578. She was the wife of Duke Ottavio Farnese and played a significant role in the cultural life of Renaissance Italy.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Cornelia Schlosser, a German writer and philosopher who lived from 1750 to 1835. She was a close friend of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and played a significant role in the intellectual circles of the time.

In more recent history, Cornelia Funke, a German author born in 1958, is known for her children's fantasy novels, including the Inkheart trilogy and The Thief Lord.

While the surname Cornelia has its origins in ancient Rome, it has been carried by individuals across various cultures and time periods, each leaving their mark on history with their contributions and achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cornelia

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

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

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

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