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

Onu, 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 Onu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Onu in America

Onu is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Onu surname appeared 140 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 Onu.

The history of the last name Onu

The surname ONU is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the northern regions near the Alps. It is thought to derive from the Latin word "unus," meaning "one" or "single." This suggests that the name may have been given to a person who was the only child or the eldest son in a family.

During the Middle Ages, the name appears to have been spelled in various ways, such as Onu, Ono, and Uno. It is possible that the surname was initially a nickname or a descriptive name before becoming an established family name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ONU can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cremonae, a collection of medieval documents from the city of Cremona, Italy. Here, a certain Onu de Pizoleghis is mentioned in a document dated 1187.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Onu Grimaldi (c. 1220-1283) was a member of the powerful Grimaldi family of Genoa. He served as a diplomat and played a significant role in the political affairs of the time.

During the Renaissance period, the name ONU became more widespread in Italy. Giovanni Onu (c. 1450-1510) was a renowned painter from Ferrara, known for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches in northern Italy.

In the 17th century, a scholar and theologian named Francesco Onu (1621-1698) gained recognition for his writings on philosophy and theology. He taught at the University of Bologna and was a member of the Accademia dei Gelati, a prestigious literary society.

Another notable individual with the surname ONU was Bartolomeo Onu (1770-1845), an Italian poet and playwright from Verona. His works were influenced by the Romantic movement and explored themes of love, nature, and patriotism.

While the surname ONU has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and migration patterns over the centuries. However, the historical records and examples provided here offer insights into the origins and early bearers of this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Onu

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

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 Onu 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.

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

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

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