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

Fortuna, 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 Fortuna surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fortuna in America

Fortuna is the 9064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fortuna surname appeared 3,606 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 Fortuna.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fortuna 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 Fortuna

The surname Fortuna is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word 'fortuna,' which means luck or fortune. The name is believed to have originated in the regions of Tuscany and Lazio, where it was likely used to describe someone who was considered fortunate or prosperous.

In the 13th century, the name Fortuna appears in several official documents and records in Florence and Rome. One notable early reference is found in the Florentine Libro di Montaperti, which chronicles the events surrounding the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. The document mentions a certain Guido Fortuna, a citizen of Florence who fought in the battle.

The Fortuna name can also be traced back to the 14th century, where it is found in the Catasto, a tax record from the Republic of Florence. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Gabriello Fortuna, a merchant who lived in Florence from around 1350 to 1420.

During the Renaissance period, the Fortuna family gained prominence in Italy, with several members achieving notable positions and accomplishments. Ludovico Fortuna (1455-1520) was a renowned architect and engineer who worked on various projects in Rome, including the construction of the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill.

Another notable figure was Niccolò Fortuna (1501-1567), a humanist scholar and philosopher from Siena. He authored several works on philosophy and was considered a leading intellectual of his time.

In the 17th century, the Fortuna name appears in the annals of the Duchy of Milan, where a branch of the family had settled. One prominent member was Giovanni Battista Fortuna (1620-1679), a military commander who served under the Spanish rulers of Milan.

The name Fortuna can also be found in various regions of Italy, including Sicily, where it is sometimes spelled as 'Furtuna.' One of the earliest recorded individuals with this spelling was Vincenzo Furtuna (1680-1745), a landowner and businessman from Palermo.

Throughout history, the surname Fortuna has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, writers, and academics. Notable examples include the Italian painter Girolamo Fortuna (1670-1736), the Venetian scholar and linguist Domenico Fortuna (1725-1803), and the 19th-century poet and playwright Giuseppe Fortuna (1825-1892).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fortuna

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

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

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

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