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

Forte, 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 Forte surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Forte in America

Forte is the 2982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Forte surname appeared 12,023 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Forte.

We can also compare 2010 data for Forte 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 Forte

The surname Forte is of Italian origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "forte," which means "strong" or "brave." The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was physically strong or possessed a courageous character.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Forte can be found in the Florentine tax records of the 14th century, indicating that families bearing this surname resided in the city of Florence during that time. The name was also present in other regions of Italy, such as Naples and Puglia, where it may have evolved from different linguistic roots or been adopted by different families.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Forte (1475-1544) was a renowned Italian poet and humanist from Veneto. He was celebrated for his works that blended classical themes with contemporary ideas, contributing to the cultural renaissance of his era.

During the 16th century, the name Forte appeared in several historical documents, including the records of the Venetian Republic. One prominent individual was Jacopo Forte (1520-1592), a skilled architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings and fortifications in Venice and its surrounding areas.

In the 17th century, the name Forte gained recognition in the field of music. Alessandro Forte (1610-1670) was an Italian composer and violinist who worked in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna. His compositions, particularly his violin sonatas, were highly regarded and influential during the Baroque period.

Another notable figure was Adriano Forte (1785-1865), an Italian architect and urban planner from Naples. He played a significant role in the redesign and modernization of the city's urban landscape in the 19th century, leaving a lasting impact on its architecture and infrastructure.

Throughout history, the surname Forte has been associated with various place names and older spellings. For instance, the town of Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany derives its name from the fortifications built in the area during the Renaissance period, possibly involving individuals with the surname Forte.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Forte

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

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

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

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