2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nerona
An Italian surname derived from the Latin name "Nero", meaning dark or black.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 185 Americans carry the last name Nerona. That puts it at #115,151 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,852,726 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nerona surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
185
1 in 1,852,726
Census rank
#115,151
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
161
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 161 bearers of the surname Nerona in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 115151st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nerona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and White (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nerona
The surname "NERONA" is believed to have originated in the region of Liguria, located in northwestern Italy, during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "nero," meaning "black" or "dark-colored," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or reference to an individual's physical appearance or complexion.
One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the historical records of the Republic of Genoa, a maritime republic that flourished along the Ligurian coast during the 12th and 13th centuries. The name appears in various forms, including "Nerona," "Nerone," and "Neroni," indicating that spelling variations were common during this time.
In the 14th century, the name "Nerona" is mentioned in several legal documents and property records from the town of Chiavari, located in the province of Genoa. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region and likely associated with families of notable stature or affluence.
During the Renaissance period, the surname "Nerona" gained prominence with the birth of Gian Battista Nerona (1497-1568), a Genoese painter and architect celebrated for his contributions to the Mannerist style. His works can still be admired in various churches and palaces across Genoa and the surrounding area.
Another notable bearer of the name was Antonio Nerona (1623-1701), a Ligurian scholar and historian who authored several volumes on the cultural and political history of the Republic of Genoa. His writings have become invaluable resources for understanding the region's rich heritage.
In the 18th century, the name "Nerona" appeared in connection with the town of Sestri Levante, located along the Ligurian coast. Records from this period mention a family of winemakers and merchants who played a significant role in the local economy and trade networks.
As the name spread beyond its original geographic origins, variations and adaptations emerged. For instance, in the 19th century, the spelling "Nerone" was more commonly encountered in parts of southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Calabria.
Throughout its history, the surname "Nerona" has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including artists, scholars, merchants, and artisans. While its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Liguria, the name has become widely dispersed and continues to be found across various regions of Italy and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nerona
Among Census respondents with the surname Nerona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and White (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nerona bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nerona surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander93.2% · 150
- Two or more races3.7% · 6
- White1.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nerona
Nerona appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#126,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+30 bearers (+28.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 18,143 places
2020
#115,151
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 161
+26 bearers (+19.3%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 11,614 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,765 | 135 | 0.05 | +30 bearers (+28.6%) | Up 18,143 places |
| 2020 | #115,151 | 161 | 0.05 | +26 bearers (+19.3%) | Up 11,614 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nerona surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #126,765 | #115,151 | 9.2% |
| Count | 135 | 161 | 19.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nerona bearers went from 135 to 161 (+19.3% change). The surname moved up 11,614 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,765 to #115,151.
FAQ
Nerona surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nerona?
Name Census estimates that about 185 living Americans carry the surname Nerona. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,852,726 residents.
How common is Nerona?
Nerona ranks #115,151 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 161 people with the surname Nerona. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (185), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nerona.
Has Nerona become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nerona went from 135 recorded bearers to 161. That is an increase of 26 (+19.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #126,765 to #115,151.
What does the Census say about the background of Nerona?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nerona, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and White (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nerona in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (150 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nerona appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (93.2%), Two or More Races (3.7%), White (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nerona (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nerona mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Latin name "Nero", meaning dark or black. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nerona (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Nerona?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Nerona? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.