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

Nelli, 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 Nelli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nelli in America

Nelli is the 57639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nelli surname appeared 353 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 Nelli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nelli 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 Nelli

The surname Nelli originated in Italy, specifically in the Tuscany region, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "nello," which means "the small one" or "the little one." This suggests that the name was originally a nickname given to someone of small stature or a child.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nelli can be found in the Florentine chronicles of the 13th century, where a nobleman named Bindo Nelli di Stibbio was mentioned. This suggests that the Nelli family was a prominent one in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the name Nelli appeared in the records of the University of Bologna, where a scholar named Giovanni Nelli was a renowned professor of law. This indicates that the family had achieved a certain level of education and status by that point.

During the Renaissance period, several notable figures bore the surname Nelli. One of the most famous was Giovan Battista Nelli, a Florentine painter who lived from 1564 to 1620. His works can still be found in various churches and galleries in Italy, showcasing the artistic talents of the Nelli family.

Another prominent member of the Nelli family was Giacomo Nelli, a 17th-century architect who designed several notable buildings in Florence, including the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi. He was born in 1601 and died in 1676.

In the 18th century, the Nelli family continued to make contributions to various fields. Pietro Nelli was a renowned composer and violinist who lived from 1730 to 1801. His compositions were widely performed and appreciated in his time.

As the Nelli family spread across Italy and beyond, the name may have been influenced by various local dialects and spellings. For instance, in some regions, it may have been written as "Nelly" or "Nely." However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Tuscan region of Italy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nelli

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

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

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

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