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

Felis, 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 Felis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Felis in America

Felis is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Felis surname appeared 101 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 Felis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Felis 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 Felis

The surname FELIS originates from Latin and is derived from the word "felis," meaning "cat" or "feline." This name likely originated in ancient Rome during the Roman Empire era, where it may have been used as a nickname or occupational name for someone who worked with or kept cats.

FELIS is an uncommon surname, and its earliest recorded instances can be traced back to medieval times in various regions of Europe. One of the earliest documented mentions of the name appears in the Domesday Book, a historical record commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants in England.

In the 13th century, a nobleman named Robertus Felis was recorded in the county of Yorkshire, England. This early spelling variation of the name suggests its Latin roots and potential connection to cats or feline-related occupations.

During the Renaissance period, the surname FELIS appeared in various Italian records, possibly indicating its presence in regions such as Tuscany or other parts of northern Italy. One notable individual bearing this name was Pietro Felis, a Venetian merchant born in 1457, who is mentioned in historical documents relating to trade in the Mediterranean region.

In the 16th century, the FELIS surname was also found in France, with records indicating the presence of a family bearing this name in the Normandy region. Jean Felis, a French farmer born in 1523, is one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname in France.

Another notable individual with the FELIS surname was Girolamo Felis, an Italian painter born in 1575 in Venice. He was known for his religious artwork and contributed to the decoration of several churches in the city during the Baroque period.

Over the centuries, the FELIS surname has remained relatively uncommon, with pockets of families bearing this name scattered across various European countries, including Italy, France, and England. While not a widely prevalent surname, its unique origins and connection to the Latin word for "cat" add an interesting historical dimension to its meaning and legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Felis

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

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

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

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