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

Di, 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 Di surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Di in America

Di is the 38754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Di surname appeared 570 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 Di.

We can also compare 2010 data for Di 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 Di

The surname "DI" has its origins in Italy, where it emerged as a common prefix attached to many Italian family names during the medieval period. This prefix was derived from the Latin preposition "de," which translates to "of" or "from" in English. In Italian naming conventions, "DI" was often used to denote a person's place of origin or association with a particular location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "DI" can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in various historical documents from the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. During this time, the name was commonly associated with noble families and landowners who held titles and properties across these areas. Notable examples include the Di Medici family, who ruled Florence from the 15th to the 18th century, and the Di Tommassi family, who held significant influence in the city of Perugia.

As time passed, the surname "DI" spread across Italy and became more widespread among the general population. It was often combined with other words or place names to create unique family surnames. For instance, the surname Di Napoli referred to individuals hailing from the city of Naples, while Di Campagna signified those from the countryside or rural areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "DI." One such figure was Giovanni di Mastro Petronio (1378-1448), a renowned Italian painter and sculptor during the early Renaissance period. Another prominent figure was Pietro di Giovanni d'Ambrogio (1410-1449), better known as Masaccio, a pioneering Italian Renaissance painter whose works had a significant influence on the development of art in the 15th century.

Moving forward in time, the 16th century saw the rise of Cesare di Piero di Francesco di Avanzati (1536-1607), an Italian mathematician and astronomer who made notable contributions to the study of geometry and the calculation of planetary motions. In the realm of literature, Giambattista di Benedetto da Montefiore (1564-1628), known as Giambattista Guarini, was a celebrated Italian poet and playwright renowned for his work "Il Pastor Fido" (The Faithful Shepherd).

Lastly, Antonio di Jacopo di Antonio Benci (1769-1844), better known as Antonio Benci, was an influential Italian architect and engineer during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His notable works include the renovation of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and the design of several public fountains and piazzas across the city.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the surname "DI," reflecting its deep-rooted Italian heritage and the diverse contributions made by those bearing this name across various fields and disciplines.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Di

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

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

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

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