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

II, 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 II surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of II in America

II is the 39004th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The II surname appeared 565 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 II.

We can also compare 2010 data for II 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 II

The surname II is believed to have originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "ille," meaning "that one" or "he." This suggests that the name may have been used as a descriptive nickname or identifier for an individual in the early days of its use.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname II appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in southern Italy. In this codex, dated around 1050, there is a reference to a man named Petrus II, indicating that the surname was already in use by this time.

In the 13th century, the surname II can be found in various records from the region of Tuscany, particularly in the cities of Florence and Siena. For example, a document from 1256 mentions a certain Iohannes II, a citizen of Florence.

During the Renaissance period, the surname II gained some prominence, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One of the most famous was Vincenzo II Gonzaga, a member of the noble Gonzaga family and the Duke of Mantua from 1587 to 1612. Another notable figure was Cosimo II de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1609 to 1621.

In the 17th century, the surname II was also present in other parts of Italy, as evidenced by records from Naples and the surrounding region. For instance, a document from 1632 mentions a Francesco II, a merchant from the city of Naples.

Throughout the centuries, the surname II has undergone various spelling variations, such as Ij, Iy, and Ij di. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional differences in pronunciation.

While the surname II is not as common as some other Italian surnames, it has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history, including:

1. Vincenzo II Gonzaga (1594-1627), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat.
2. Cosimo II de' Medici (1590-1621), Grand Duke of Tuscany.
3. Francesco II d'Este (1660-1694), Duke of Modena and Reggio.
4. Antonio II Grimani (1436-1523), Doge of Venice.
5. Guido II Novello (1240-1292), a prominent figure in the Guelph-Ghibelline conflicts in medieval Italy.

While the surname II may not be as widespread as some other Italian surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the early medieval period, with connections to notable figures in Italian history and the Renaissance era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name II

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!