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

Neptune, 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 Neptune surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neptune in America

Neptune is the 17033rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neptune surname appeared 1,668 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Neptune.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neptune 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 Neptune

The surname Neptune is of Latin origin, derived from the Roman god of the sea, Neptunus. This name first appeared in various regions of the Italian peninsula during the Middle Ages, particularly in areas with strong maritime traditions and connections to the sea.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Neptune surname can be found in a Venetian census record from the 13th century, where it was spelled "Neptuno". This variation likely arose due to the influence of the Venetian dialect and the city's close ties to the Adriatic Sea.

In the 14th century, the name began to appear in other coastal regions of Italy, such as Genoa and Naples. It was often adopted by families involved in seafaring activities, fishing, or naval endeavors, as a reflection of their connection to the sea and maritime pursuits.

During the Renaissance period, the Neptune surname gained prominence in certain Italian city-states. For example, Francesco Neptune (1478-1544), a renowned navigator and cartographer from Genoa, played a significant role in mapping the Mediterranean coastlines and expanding maritime knowledge.

As Italian explorers and merchants ventured further afield, the Neptune surname spread to other parts of Europe and the Americas. In the 16th century, Juan Neptune (1520-1595), a Spanish sailor from Seville, accompanied Christopher Columbus on one of his voyages to the New World.

In the 17th century, the Neptune surname appeared in France, particularly in the coastal regions of Normandy and Brittany. One notable figure was Pierre Neptune (1625-1687), a French naval officer who participated in several important battles during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

The Neptune surname also found its way to the British Isles, where it was adapted to various spellings, such as Neptunus or Neptun. In the 18th century, William Neptune (1745-1822), a British naval captain, gained recognition for his exploits during the Napoleonic Wars.

Another prominent individual with the Neptune surname was Maria Neptune (1790-1860), an Italian artist and sculptor from Naples. Her works, often depicting maritime themes and mythological figures, were highly acclaimed during her lifetime.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neptune

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

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

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

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