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

Marcelus, 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 Marcelus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marcelus in America

Marcelus is the 71478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marcelus surname appeared 273 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 Marcelus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marcelus 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 Marcelus

The surname Marcelus originated in ancient Rome during the Roman Republic era, deriving from the Roman praenomen Marcellus. It is believed to have been derived from the Latin word "marcus," meaning "hammer" or "martial." The name was initially associated with members of the renowned Claudian family, a prominent patrician gens in ancient Rome.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Marcelus was Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman consul and military commander who lived from around 268 BC to 208 BC. He was renowned for his military victories against the Gauls and the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War. His exploits were documented in various historical accounts, including the writings of Livy and Plutarch.

In medieval times, the surname Marcelus appeared in various manuscripts and records across Europe, particularly in Italy, France, and Spain. It was often spelled with slight variations, such as Marcellus, Marcello, or Marceau. During this period, the name was associated with noble families and individuals of prominence.

One notable figure was Marcello Malpighi, an Italian biologist and physician who lived from 1628 to 1694. He is considered a pioneer in the field of microscopic anatomy and made significant contributions to the study of plant and animal structures. His work was instrumental in laying the foundations for modern histology and embryology.

Another prominent individual was Marcellus Palingenius Stellatus, a Renaissance humanist and poet who lived in the 16th century. His most famous work was the allegorical poem "Zodiacus Vitae" (The Zodiac of Life), which explored philosophical and moral themes.

In the 18th century, Marcellus Laroon, a Dutch-born English painter and engraver (1679-1772), gained recognition for his satirical prints and illustrations. His works often depicted contemporary social scenes and caricatures, providing valuable insights into the cultural and political life of the time.

Marcelus has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history. For example, in ancient Rome, there was a town called Marcellina, which was likely derived from the name Marcellus. Additionally, the Marcellus Theater, an ancient Roman theater located in Rome, was named after the Claudian family.

While the surname Marcelus may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and connection to ancient Rome and prominent figures in various fields have solidified its place in the annals of surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marcelus

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Marcelus, 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!