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

Sunseri, 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 Sunseri surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunseri in America

Sunseri is the 22618th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunseri surname appeared 1,135 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 Sunseri.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sunseri 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 Sunseri

The surname Sunseri originates from Italy, specifically the island of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Sicilian word "sunzeri," which means "bell-ringers" or "bell-makers." This occupation was closely tied to the religious and cultural traditions of the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sunseri name can be found in the Libro Rosso, a historic document from the city of Palermo, dating back to the 13th century. This record mentions individuals with the surname Sunseri, indicating their presence in Sicily during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various documents from the town of Monreale, near Palermo. These records suggest that the Sunseri family may have been involved in the production or maintenance of church bells, which were an integral part of religious life in medieval Sicily.

During the Renaissance era, the Sunseri name gained prominence in the city of Trapani, located on the western coast of Sicily. Historical records from the 16th and 17th centuries mention several notable individuals bearing this surname, including Girolamo Sunseri (1550-1620), a renowned scholar and philosopher who authored several works on theology and philosophy.

Another prominent figure was Vincenzo Sunseri (1625-1689), a Sicilian nobleman and landowner who played a significant role in the political and economic affairs of Trapani during the 17th century. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the region for several generations.

In the 18th century, the Sunseri family expanded their influence beyond Sicily, with members settling in other parts of Italy and even venturing to other European countries. One notable individual from this period was Giovanni Battista Sunseri (1735-1810), a successful merchant and trader who established business connections throughout the Mediterranean region.

As the Sunseri name spread across Italy and Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Sunseri, Sunzeri, Sunzieri, and Sunziero. These variations often reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences, but they all traced their roots back to the original Sicilian surname.

Over the centuries, the Sunseri family has produced numerous individuals of note, including artists, writers, scholars, and political figures. However, the name remains closely tied to its origins in medieval Sicily, where it emerged as a symbol of the region's rich cultural and religious heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunseri

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

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

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

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