2000
#18,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,329
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Lanni
A surname of Italian origin derived from the medieval personal name "Iohannes".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,375 Americans carry the last name Lanni. That puts it at #22,081 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 249,276 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lanni surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lanni with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.4K
1 in 249,276
Census rank
#22,081
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,199 bearers of the surname Lanni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22081st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lanni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lanni
The surname Lanni has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Campania. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "laneus," which means "woolen" or "made of wool." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the wool trade or textile industry during that time.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Lanni can be found in historical documents from the city of Naples, where it appears as early as the 13th century. These records include legal contracts, property deeds, and tax records, indicating that the Lanni family had established itself as a prominent and influential presence in the region.
In the 14th century, the Lanni name is also found in the municipal archives of the town of Sorrento, located along the Amalfi Coast. These records suggest that members of the Lanni family held positions of authority and played a significant role in the local governance and economy.
Notable individuals bearing the Lanni surname include Giovanni Lanni (1525-1592), a renowned Italian architect and engineer who contributed to the design and construction of several notable buildings in Naples, including the Palazzo Reale and the Certosa di San Martino. Another prominent figure was Antonio Lanni (1635-1718), a Neapolitan lawyer and politician who served as a magistrate and held influential positions in the city's government.
In the 18th century, the Lanni name gained further prominence with the birth of Geronimo Lanni (1746-1821), a celebrated Neapolitan painter known for his religious and historical works. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy.
Moving into the 19th century, Vincenzo Lanni (1824-1892) was a renowned Italian sculptor and architect who made significant contributions to the artistic and architectural landscape of Naples. His works include the elaborate façade of the Naples Cathedral and numerous sculptures adorning public spaces throughout the city.
Throughout its history, the Lanni surname has maintained a strong association with the region of Campania, particularly the city of Naples and its surrounding areas. While the name may have spread to other parts of Italy and beyond over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural and historical heritage of this southern Italian region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lanni
Among Census respondents with the surname Lanni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Lanni bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lanni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 1,091
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 63
- Two or more races2.3% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 6
- Black or African American0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lanni
Lanni appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#20,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,311
-18 bearers (-1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Down 1,310 places
2020
#22,081
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,199
-112 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Down 1,796 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,975 | 1,329 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,285 | 1,311 | 0.44 | -18 bearers (-1.4%) | Down 1,310 places |
| 2020 | #22,081 | 1,199 | 0.40 | -112 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 1,796 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lanni surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,285 | #22,081 | -8.9% |
| Count | 1,311 | 1,199 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.44 | 0.40 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lanni bearers went from 1,311 to 1,199 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 1,796 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,285 to #22,081.
FAQ
Lanni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lanni?
Name Census estimates that about 1,375 living Americans carry the surname Lanni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 249,276 residents.
How common is Lanni?
Lanni ranks #22,081 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,199 people with the surname Lanni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,375), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.4 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.40 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lanni.
Has Lanni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lanni went from 1,311 recorded bearers to 1,199. That is a decrease of 112 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #20,285 to #22,081.
What does the Census say about the background of Lanni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lanni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lanni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (1,091 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lanni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Hispanic (5.3%), Two or More Races (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lanni (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lanni mean?
A surname of Italian origin derived from the medieval personal name "Iohannes". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lanni (0.40 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Lanni?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.