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

Neri, 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 Neri surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neri in America

Neri is the 4394th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neri surname appeared 8,094 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Neri.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neri 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 Neri

The surname Neri is of Italian origin, derived from the Latin word "niger" meaning "black" or "dark." It is believed to have originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Italian documents from the 12th and 13th centuries, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. In some cases, the name was also spelled as "Nero" or "Negri."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Filippo di Ser Brunellesco Neri (1377-1446), a renowned Florentine architect and sculptor who is celebrated for his innovative design of the dome of the Florence Cathedral.

Another notable figure was Antonio Neri (c. 1576-1614), an Italian priest and chemist who authored the influential work "L'Arte Vetraria" (The Art of Glass), which detailed the techniques and processes of glassmaking.

In the 16th century, the name Neri was associated with the Compagnia dei Neri, a religious confraternity in Florence dedicated to charitable works and the care of the sick and poor.

The surname Neri also has a connection to the town of Neri, located in the province of Messina, Sicily. It is possible that some bearers of the name may have originated from or had ties to this locality.

Other notable individuals with the surname Neri include:

1. Pompeo Neri (1557-1646), an Italian Catholic priest and mystic who founded the Oratory of St. Philip Neri.
2. Jacopo Neri (1572-1642), an Italian engraver and printmaker known for his etchings and engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.
3. Michelangelo Neri (1673-1758), an Italian painter and architect who worked extensively in Rome and its surrounding areas.
4. Francesco Neri (1819-1886), an Italian painter and illustrator known for his historical and genre scenes.
5. Massimo Neri (born 1960), an Italian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for several clubs, including Fiorentina and Parma.

Overall, the surname Neri has a rich history rooted in the Italian Renaissance and its cultural and artistic traditions, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neri

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

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

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

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