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

Salerno, 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 Salerno surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salerno in America

Salerno is the 3751st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salerno surname appeared 9,440 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Salerno.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salerno 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 Salerno

The surname Salerno is of Italian origin, derived from the city of Salerno, located in the Campania region of southwestern Italy. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, with records indicating its use as early as the 11th century.

Salerno was an important city during the Middle Ages, known for its renowned medical school and its strategic location on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The name is believed to have originated from individuals who either lived in or were associated with the city of Salerno.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Salerno surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery, which dates back to the 11th century. This indicates that the name was already in use during this period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the Salerno surname was Matteo Salerno, a physician and philosopher who taught at the renowned University of Salerno. He lived between 1235 and 1316 and was renowned for his contributions to the field of medicine.

Another historical figure with the Salerno surname was Raffaele Salerno, a 16th-century Italian painter and architect. He was born in Naples in 1509 and is known for his work on various churches and buildings in the city, such as the Chiesa di Santa Maria la Nova.

In the 17th century, Francesco Salerno was a prominent Italian composer and organist. He was born in Naples in 1635 and served as the organist at the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma.

The Salerno surname also appeared in literary works, such as the 14th-century Italian epic poem "Divina Commedia" by Dante Alighieri, where a character named Mosca de' Salerni is mentioned.

During the 19th century, a notable figure with the Salerno surname was Giacomo Salerno, an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the Sicilian Parliament and was involved in the Risorgimento movement for Italian unification.

Throughout history, the Salerno surname has been associated with various locations in Italy, including the city of Salerno itself, as well as other areas in the Campania region and beyond. The name has also undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Salerne or Salerni, though the core meaning and origin remain unchanged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salerno

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

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

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

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