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

Romeus, 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 Romeus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Romeus in America

Romeus is the 72771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Romeus surname appeared 267 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 Romeus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Romeus 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 Romeus

The surname Romeus is of English origin, derived from the ancient Norman French word "romieu," which referred to a pilgrim or traveler returning from Rome. This surname likely emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name Romeus was initially concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many Norman settlers established themselves. It is believed that the name was first adopted by individuals who had undertaken pilgrimages to Rome or had close associations with the Catholic Church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Romeus can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a certain William Romeus is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the early use of the name in medieval England.

During the 13th century, the name Romeus appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landholders and their properties. In this record, a John Romeus is listed as holding land in the county of Lincolnshire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Romeus include Sir John Romeus (c. 1290-1348), a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. Another figure of note is William Romeus (c. 1420-1492), a merchant and alderman of the City of London during the reign of Henry VI.

In the literary realm, the name Romeus gained prominence through the tragic play "Romeus and Juliet" by Arthur Brooke, published in 1562. This work served as a significant inspiration for William Shakespeare's renowned play "Romeo and Juliet."

Other notable individuals with the surname Romeus include Robert Romeus (c. 1550-1616), a clergyman and scholar who served as the rector of Swardeston in Norfolk, and Thomas Romeus (c. 1625-1692), a prominent figure in the English Civil War who fought on the Parliamentarian side.

While the surname Romeus is not widely prevalent today, it remains a testament to the rich history and cultural influences that have shaped the English language and its naming traditions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Romeus

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

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

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

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