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

Diana, 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 Diana surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Diana in America

Diana is the 10416th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Diana surname appeared 3,090 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 Diana.

We can also compare 2010 data for Diana 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 Diana

The surname Diana has its origins in ancient Rome, derived from the Latin word "dianus," meaning "divine" or "heavenly." This name was initially associated with the Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and childbirth, Diana.

The earliest recorded instances of the Diana surname can be traced back to the 12th century in Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Lazio. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by families who lived near temples dedicated to the goddess Diana or those who held her in high regard.

During the Renaissance period, several notable figures bore the Diana surname. One prominent example is the Italian architect and sculptor Baccio Diana (1490-1565), who designed the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Arezzo and worked on various projects for the Medici family.

Another historically significant individual with the Diana surname was the Italian jurist and humanist Giovanni Battista Diana (1564-1639), known for his influential work "Resolutiones Morales" on moral theology and canon law.

In the 17th century, the name Diana also appeared in historical records in Spain, where it was likely introduced by Italian immigrants or through cultural exchanges. One notable Spanish figure with this surname was Pedro Diana (1611-1670), a Baroque painter known for his religious works and portraits.

The Diana surname also found its way to France, where it was sometimes spelled as "Dianne" or "Dianes." One prominent French individual with this surname was François-Gaspard Dianne (1758-1823), a general during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

Throughout history, the Diana surname has been associated with various professions, including artists, writers, and scholars. It is essential to note that while this surname has its roots in ancient Rome, it has since spread to various parts of Europe and beyond, with each region potentially adding its own cultural and linguistic influences to the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Diana

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

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

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

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