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

Latin, 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 Latin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Latin in America

Latin is the 35246th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Latin surname appeared 639 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 Latin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Latin 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 Latin

The surname Latin is believed to have originated in ancient Rome, derived from the word "Latinus," which referred to the Latins, an Italic tribe that inhabited the region of Latium in central Italy. The name is thought to have emerged during the Roman Empire, when it was used to identify individuals of Latin descent or those who spoke the Latin language.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Latin can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the 9th century. In this codex, there are references to individuals bearing the name "Latinus" or "de Latinis," indicating their connection to the Latin people or the Latium region.

During the Middle Ages, the name Latin was often associated with scholars, writers, and intellectuals who studied and taught the Latin language and literature. Notable figures from this period include John of Latin (c. 1275-1350), an English scholar and theologian, and Pietro Latino (c. 1330-1405), an Italian humanist and translator.

In the Renaissance period, the name Latin was sometimes used as a surname by individuals who embraced the classical ideals and culture of ancient Rome. One such example is Andrea Latino (1450-1512), an Italian humanist and philosopher who played a significant role in the revival of classical learning.

The surname Latin can also be found in various historical records from different parts of Europe, suggesting that it may have spread beyond its Italian origins. For instance, there are mentions of individuals with the surname Latin in England, France, and Spain, possibly indicating migration or cultural exchange.

Other notable figures bearing the surname Latin include:

1. Antonio Latin (c. 1505-1580), a Spanish Renaissance scholar and linguist.
2. Juan Latin (1585-1660), a Spanish poet and dramatist.
3. Bartolomeo Latin (1670-1742), an Italian architect and engineer.
4. Franciszek Latin (1823-1898), a Polish writer and translator.
5. Miguel Latin (1888-1956), a Mexican artist and muralist.

While the surname Latin has roots in ancient Rome and the Latin language, it has since spread across various regions and cultures, reflecting the enduring influence of Latin civilization and its lasting impact on the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Latin

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

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

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

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