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

Orsini, 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 Orsini surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Orsini in America

Orsini is the 10505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Orsini surname appeared 3,055 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 Orsini.

We can also compare 2010 data for Orsini 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 Orsini

The surname Orsini has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "ursinus," meaning "bear-like" or "bearish," suggesting a possible connection to the bear symbol or emblem used by the family.

The Orsini family was one of the most powerful and influential noble families in Rome and the Papal States during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They held significant political and ecclesiastical positions, including several popes and cardinals.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Orsini name can be found in the 11th century, when the family established itself as a prominent force in the Roman aristocracy. The Orsini were involved in numerous conflicts and power struggles, often aligning themselves with the Ghibelline faction against the Guelphs.

The name Orsini is associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most famous was Niccolò III Orsini, who became Pope Nicholas III in 1277. He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Papal States and the consolidation of the Church's temporal power.

Another prominent member of the Orsini family was Giordano Orsini (1192-1287), a Roman nobleman and military leader who served as a senator of Rome and supported the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in his struggles against the Papacy.

In the 15th century, Clarice Orsini (1453-1488) gained prominence as the wife of Lorenzo de' Medici, the influential ruler of Florence. Their marriage strengthened the alliance between the Orsini and Medici families, two of the most powerful dynasties in Renaissance Italy.

Paolo Giordano II Orsini (1591-1670) was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, serving as the Duke of Bracciano and later becoming a cardinal. He was known for his patronage of the arts and his involvement in various diplomatic missions.

Felice Orsini (1819-1858) was a prominent Italian revolutionary and nationalist who attempted to assassinate Napoleon III in 1858. Despite his radical views, he is remembered as a significant figure in the Italian unification movement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Orsini

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

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

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

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