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

Nessa, 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 Nessa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nessa in America

Nessa is the 33410th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nessa surname appeared 683 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 Nessa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nessa 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 Nessa

The surname Nessa is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It is thought to be derived from the ancient Greek word "nesos," which means "island." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived on an island or who came from an island.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nessa can be found in a document from the 13th century, which mentions a nobleman named Giovanni Nessa from the town of Messina in Sicily. This town's name is also derived from the Greek word "nesos," further supporting the connection between the surname and its island origins.

In the 14th century, there are records of a family with the surname Nessa residing in the city of Palermo, which was a major center of trade and commerce during that time. It is possible that this family's ancestors may have been involved in maritime activities or trade routes that connected Sicily to other islands or coastal regions.

The name Nessa also appears in several historical manuscripts from the Renaissance period, including a text written by the renowned Italian scholar and humanist Giovanni Boccaccio, who lived from 1313 to 1375. In his work, he mentions a character with the surname Nessa, suggesting that the name was well-established in Italian society by that point.

One notable figure with the surname Nessa was Giacomo Nessa, a influential Italian painter and sculptor who lived from 1556 to 1628. He was born in the city of Messina and gained recognition for his religious works, which can still be found in churches throughout Sicily.

Another significant individual with this surname was Maria Nessa, a 17th-century poet and writer from the city of Catania in Sicily. She was renowned for her lyrical poetry and her contributions to the literary culture of the time.

In the 18th century, there was a prominent Sicilian architect named Francesco Nessa, who was responsible for designing several notable buildings and structures in his native city of Palermo.

Additionally, the name Nessa can be found in historical records from the 19th century, such as those of a family of merchants and traders based in the city of Messina, who were known for their successful business ventures throughout the Mediterranean region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nessa

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

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

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

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