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

Feliu, 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 Feliu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Feliu in America

Feliu is the 49177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Feliu surname appeared 428 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 Feliu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Feliu 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 Feliu

The surname Feliu originated in the region of Catalonia, located in the northeastern corner of Spain. It is believed to have derived from the Late Latin name "Felice" or "Felix," meaning "lucky" or "happy." This name was often given to children born under auspicious circumstances or during joyous occasions.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Feliu can be traced back to the 11th century in various historical documents from the region. One notable mention is found in the "Llibre dels Fets" (Book of Deeds), a chronicle written by King James I of Aragon in the 13th century, which references a nobleman named Bernat Feliu.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the records of the city of Barcelona, where a prominent family of merchants and bankers, the Felius, played a significant role in the economic and political life of the city. One member of this family, Francesc Feliu, served as a councilor in the city's government in the late 1300s.

As the surname spread throughout Catalonia and other parts of Spain, it evolved into various spellings, such as Felío, Feliú, and Feliuá. Some of these variants may have been influenced by the Catalan place names from which certain branches of the family originated, such as the town of Feliuà in the province of Lleida.

Notable individuals throughout history who carried the surname Feliu include:

1. Joan Feliu (1496-1555), a Catalan poet and humanist renowned for his works in Latin and Catalan.
2. Bartomeu Feliu (1676-1741), a Spanish composer and organist who served at the Barcelona Cathedral.
3. Francesc de Feliu (1720-1789), a Spanish military officer and engineer who participated in the Siege of Gibraltar during the American Revolutionary War.
4. Cristòfor Feliu de la Penya (1785-1849), a Spanish writer and historian known for his works on the history of Catalonia.
5. Jacint Feliu i Torres (1787-1857), a Catalan painter and educator who founded the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona.

Throughout its history, the surname Feliu has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, writers, musicians, and military figures, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who bear this name to the rich cultural tapestry of Spain and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Feliu

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

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

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

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