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

Vetere, 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 Vetere surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vetere in America

Vetere is the 32031st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vetere surname appeared 720 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 Vetere.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vetere 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 Vetere

The surname Vetere originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Campania and Puglia, around the 13th century. It is derived from the Latin word "vetus," meaning "old" or "ancient." The name likely referred to someone who lived in an old or ancient town or settlement.

In the early medieval period, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de Vetere" or "de Veteri," which translates to "of the old" or "of the ancient." These forms often indicated a connection to a specific place or location.

Historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries mention individuals with the surname Vetere in the city of Naples and the surrounding areas. For instance, a document from 1386 refers to a certain Nicolò Vetere, a landowner in the village of Caserta, near Naples.

The name Vetere can also be traced back to place names, such as the town of Vetere in the province of Potenza, Basilicata. It is believed that some families adopted the surname Vetere as a reference to their origin from this particular town or region.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Vetere dates back to the 15th century, when Giovanni Vetere, a renowned painter and architect from Naples, lived and worked (circa 1440-1510). His works can still be seen in various churches and palaces throughout the city.

Another notable figure with the surname Vetere was Antonio Vetere, a philosopher and humanist from Campania, who lived during the 16th century (1490-1568). He was known for his writings on classical literature and his contributions to the Renaissance movement in Italy.

In the 17th century, Girolamo Vetere (1616-1683) was a prominent religious figure and Bishop of Aversa, a town near Naples. He played a significant role in the spiritual and cultural life of the region during his time.

Moving forward, Pietro Vetere (1740-1816) was a renowned lawyer and jurist from the city of Lecce, in the region of Puglia. He authored several influential works on legal theory and practice, which were widely studied in Italian universities at the time.

Finally, in the late 19th century, Vincenzo Vetere (1855-1932) was a renowned Italian opera singer and tenor, celebrated for his performances in works by composers such as Verdi and Puccini. He was born in the town of Bari, in the region of Puglia, and achieved international fame during his career.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vetere

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

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

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

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