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

Cornett, 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 Cornett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cornett in America

Cornett is the 2322nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cornett surname appeared 15,733 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Cornett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cornett 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 Cornett

The surname Cornett originates from France and can be traced back to the early 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "corn," meaning a horn or trumpet, and was likely an occupational name for a horn player or trumpeter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cornet." This suggests that the name was already in use in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name was documented in various forms, including "Cornet," "Cornette," and "Cornett," in various regions of France, such as Normandy and Brittany.

Records from the 14th century indicate that the name was also present in England, with references to individuals like John Cornet, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

During the 16th century, the name gained prominence in France, with notable individuals bearing the surname. One such person was Balthasar Cornet, a French Catholic priest and theologian born in 1592, who played a significant role in the Jansenist controversy.

Another notable figure was Thomas Cornette, a French painter and engraver born in 1575, who was known for his religious works and portraits.

In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Germany. One notable bearer was Adriaen Cornet, a Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1618, who specialized in genre scenes and portraits.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Jacques-François Cornette, a French historian and writer born in 1737, who authored several works on the history of France and Europe.

As the name continued to spread globally, notable individuals in the 19th and early 20th centuries included Thomas Cornett, an American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient, born in 1835, and Adolphe Cornette, a French politician and lawyer born in 1853.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cornett

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

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

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

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