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

Somo, 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 Somo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Somo in America

Somo is the 62189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Somo surname appeared 322 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 Somo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Somo 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 Somo

The surname "SOMO" is believed to have originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Lombardy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin word "summus," which means "highest" or "uppermost." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with those who resided in higher elevations or hilltop locations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in the province of Salerno, Italy. In this source, the name "Somo" appears in a document dated 1152, referring to a landowner named Guglielmo Somo.

During the 13th century, the name Somo gained prominence in the region of Bergamo, where it was often associated with the noble families who held significant power and influence. One notable figure from this period was Guido Somo, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Bergamo around 1250.

In the 14th century, the name Somo appeared in the records of the Republic of Venice, where it was often spelled as "Sommo." One prominent individual bearing this name was Marco Sommo, a renowned Venetian diplomat and statesman who served as an ambassador to several European courts between 1380 and 1412.

The 15th century saw the emergence of the Somo family in the city of Milan, where they were involved in the silk trade and held positions of influence within the local guild system. One notable member of this family was Giovanni Somo, a silk merchant who served as a councilor in the city's government in the late 1400s.

In the 16th century, the name Somo was also found in the records of the Kingdom of Naples, where it was often associated with landowners and members of the minor nobility. One significant figure from this period was Antonio Somo, a wealthy landowner and military officer who served in the Neapolitan army during the Italian Wars of the 16th century.

As the centuries passed, the surname Somo continued to be found throughout various regions of Italy, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields, including the arts, literature, and politics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Somo

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

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

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

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