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

Mali, 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 Mali surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mali in America

Mali is the 46487th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mali surname appeared 458 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 Mali.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mali 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 Mali

The surname MALI is of Italian origin, derived from the medieval Latin word "malus," meaning "evil" or "bad." It is believed to have originated in the 13th century as a nickname or descriptive name given to someone with an unpleasant or ill-tempered personality.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname MALI can be traced back to the city of Florence, Italy, in the late 1200s. It appears in several documents and records from that period, often associated with families residing in the Tuscan region.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname MALI was Francesco Mali, a renowned painter from Siena, who lived from 1489 to 1549. His works, primarily religious fresco paintings, can still be admired in various churches throughout Italy.

In the 16th century, a branch of the MALI family settled in the town of Montepulciano, where they established a successful winemaking business. The MALI family vineyards and wine cellars became renowned for producing some of the finest wines in the region.

Another individual of note was Girolamo Mali, a 17th-century scholar and philosopher from Venice. Born in 1612, he authored several treatises on ethics and moral philosophy, which were widely read and discussed among the intellectual circles of his time. He died in 1684.

During the Renaissance period, the surname MALI was also associated with a prominent family of architects and sculptors from the city of Verona. Notably, Bartolomeo Mali (1542-1617) was a highly skilled sculptor who created numerous works for churches and public buildings in Verona and the surrounding areas.

Over the centuries, the surname MALI has spread throughout Italy and beyond, with descendants carrying the name found in various regions and countries. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, the name MALI has become a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames worldwide.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mali

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

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

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

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