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

Romans, 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 Romans surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Romans in America

Romans is the 8813th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Romans surname appeared 3,715 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 Romans.

We can also compare 2010 data for Romans 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 Romans

The surname ROMANS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "romanus" or "roman," which referred to someone of Roman descent or associated with the Roman Empire.

The earliest known record of the ROMANS surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Romanus" in various counties across England. This suggests that the name may have been used to identify individuals who had some connection to the Roman civilization or were descendants of Roman settlers in Britain.

During the Middle Ages, the ROMANS name was particularly prevalent in the southern regions of England, such as Sussex and Kent, which were areas with a strong Roman influence and legacy. The name may have also been adopted by individuals who lived near Roman roads or settlements.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the ROMANS surname was William ROMANS, a 13th-century landowner and knight from Sussex, who was mentioned in royal charters and land records during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272).

In the 14th century, John ROMANS, a prominent merchant from London, was recorded as a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, one of the oldest livery companies in the city. His business dealings and wealth contributed to the prominence of the ROMANS name in the capital.

During the Tudor period, the ROMANS surname gained further recognition with the exploits of Sir Thomas ROMANS (1485-1544), a sailor and explorer who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh on several expeditions to the Americas. He is credited with being one of the first Englishmen to set foot in present-day North Carolina.

Another notable figure was Robert ROMANS (1570-1635), a renowned playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era. His works were performed at the Globe Theatre and praised by contemporaries such as William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson.

In the 18th century, the ROMANS name was prominently associated with the field of architecture. James ROMANS (1720-1795), a renowned architect and surveyor, designed several notable buildings in London, including the iconic Somerset House.

Throughout its history, the ROMANS surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, merchants, artists, and explorers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Romans

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

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

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

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