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

Tursi, 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 Tursi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tursi in America

Tursi is the 26282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tursi surname appeared 929 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 Tursi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tursi 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 Tursi

The surname Tursi originated in Italy, specifically in the southern region of Basilicata, where the town of Tursi is located. The name is believed to have derived from the Latin word "turris," meaning tower or fortress, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name were likely associated with a fortified structure or lived in the vicinity of a tower.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Tursi can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and medieval records from the region. One notable example is the mention of a "Guglielmo di Tursi" in a parchment dated 1089, indicating the presence of the surname in the area during that time.

In the 13th century, the name Tursi gained prominence when a nobleman named Roberto di Tursi was appointed as the castellan (castle governor) of the town of Tursi by the ruling House of Sanseverino. This appointment further solidified the connection between the surname and the geographical location, cementing its association with the area.

Throughout the centuries, the Tursi surname has been linked to several notable figures. One of the earliest was Niccolò di Tursi, a renowned philosopher and scholar who lived in the 14th century and authored several treatises on logic and metaphysics. Another prominent individual was Girolamo Tursi, a 16th-century architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in Naples and its surrounding areas.

In the 18th century, the Tursi family produced a distinguished military leader, Gennaro Tursi, who served under the Kingdom of Naples and played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him recognition and numerous honors.

Another notable bearer of the Tursi name was Vincenzo Tursi, a 19th-century painter from Naples known for his remarkable landscapes and depictions of rural life in southern Italy. His works are preserved in various art galleries and museums throughout the country.

While the Tursi surname continues to be more prevalent in the regions of southern Italy, particularly in Basilicata and Campania, it has also spread to other parts of the country and beyond due to migration and diaspora over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tursi

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

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

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

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