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

Merlini, 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 Merlini surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merlini in America

Merlini is the 77788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merlini surname appeared 246 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 Merlini.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merlini 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 Merlini

The surname Merlini originated in Italy and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "merlino," which means "little blackbird." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with a dark complexion or someone who was associated with blackbirds in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Merlini name can be found in a 13th-century document from the town of Siena, in the Tuscan region of Italy. The document mentions a man named Guido Merlini, who was a local landowner and merchant.

In the 14th century, the Merlini family had a presence in the city of Bologna, where they were involved in the wool trade. A prominent member of this branch was Giovanni Merlini, who was born in 1325 and served as a magistrate in Bologna.

During the Renaissance period, the Merlini name gained further prominence with the rise of Girolamo Merlini, a renowned painter and architect from the city of Forlì. Born in 1472, Girolamo was commissioned to design several notable buildings, including the Palazzo Comunale in Forlì.

Another notable figure with the Merlini surname was Domenico Merlini, a 17th-century mathematician and astronomer from the town of Parma. Domenico made significant contributions to the study of comets and published several works on celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the Merlini name was associated with the town of Merlino, located in the province of Lodi, in the region of Lombardy. This place name is likely derived from the same root as the surname, suggesting a connection between the family and this particular location.

Other notable individuals with the Merlini surname include Mario Merlini, an Italian composer and conductor born in 1856, and Enrico Merlini, a 20th-century Italian football player who represented Italy in the 1934 World Cup.

Throughout its history, the Merlini name has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Italy, reflecting the family's deep roots and enduring legacy within the country's cultural and historical fabric.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merlini

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

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

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

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