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

Forni, 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 Forni surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forni in America

Forni is the 37735th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forni surname appeared 589 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 Forni.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forni 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 Forni

The surname Forni has its origins in Northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Veneto. It is believed to have emerged as early as the 12th century, deriving from the Italian word "forno," which means "oven" or "bakehouse." This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with families involved in the baking trade or those living near ovens or bakeries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Forni can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of Cava de' Tirreni in Campania, dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions an individual named Petrus de Furno, which translates to "Peter of the Oven."

In the 13th century, the name appeared in several records from the city of Bergamo in Lombardy. A notable individual from this period was Bartolomeo Forni, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived between 1230 and 1298. His name can be found in the city's historical archives.

During the Renaissance, the Forni family gained prominence in the city of Verona. One of the most prominent figures was Giacomo Forni (1439-1511), a renowned humanist scholar and philosopher. He was highly respected for his contributions to the study of classical literature and his writings on ethics and morality.

In the 16th century, the name Forni appeared in the records of the Republic of Venice, where several members of the family held important positions within the government and military. One notable figure was Andrea Forni (1510-1572), a Venetian diplomat and ambassador who represented the republic in various European courts.

In the 18th century, the Forni family had a presence in the Duchy of Parma, where they were involved in the wine trade. Giuseppe Forni (1724-1801) was a successful wine merchant and landowner, known for his contributions to the local economy and his philanthropic efforts.

Another prominent individual with the surname Forni was Girolamo Forni (1799-1876), an Italian architect and engineer from the city of Mantua. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Teatro Scientifico in Mantua and the Teatro Nuovo in Verona.

While the surname Forni is predominantly found in Northern Italy, it has also spread to other parts of the country and abroad due to migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, where it has a rich historical significance rooted in the baking trade and the lives of prominent individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forni

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

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

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

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