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

Rome, 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 Rome surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rome in America

Rome is the 6704th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rome surname appeared 5,037 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Rome.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rome 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 Rome

The surname ROME is an English habitational name that originated in the medieval era, derived from the famous city of Rome in Italy. Earliest recordings of the name appear in English records dating back to the 12th century, often spelled as "de Rome" or "atte Rome," indicating those who hailed from or lived near the city.

The name likely arose as a distinguishing moniker for English individuals who had visited or resided in Rome, perhaps on religious pilgrimages or as merchants trading with Italian cities. Some of the earliest bearers may have been Crusaders or soldiers who had journeyed to Rome during the medieval Crusades.

By the 13th century, the surname had evolved to its modern spelling of ROME, as seen in records such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, which mentions a William de Rome in 1273. The Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record from 1292, also documents a Walter de Rome.

While the name is of English origin, its roots trace back to the ancient Latin name "Roma," the original appellation of the iconic city that served as the capital of the Roman Empire. This connection to one of the most influential civilizations in history lends the surname ROME a sense of prestige and antiquity.

Notable figures bearing the surname ROME throughout history include:

1. Philip de Rome (c. 1165 - c. 1225), an English cleric who served as Bishop of Ely from 1199 to 1225.
2. John Rome (c. 1390 - c. 1445), an English monk and historian who authored the "Vita Ricardi Secundi," a chronicle of the reign of King Richard II.
3. Robert Rome (c. 1510 - 1577), an English printer and publisher known for his work on religious texts during the Protestant Reformation.
4. Thomas Rome (1579 - 1642), an English Catholic priest and controversialist who authored several religious treatises defending Catholicism.
5. George Rome (1785 - 1861), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in the Napoleonic Wars.

The surname ROME has endured for centuries, carrying the legacy of its association with one of the world's most iconic cities and its rich history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rome

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

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

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

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