2000
#35,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 593
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.22
Very Rare Last name
Celi
An occupational Italian surname derived from the Latin word "caelum" meaning sky or heaven.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 951 Americans carry the last name Celi. That puts it at #30,224 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 360,415 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Celi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
951
1 in 360,415
Census rank
#30,224
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
829
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 829 bearers of the surname Celi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30224th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Celi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 45.0%. The next largest groups are White (39.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Celi
The surname CELI has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "caelum," meaning "heaven" or "sky." The name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname for someone with a celestial or heavenly quality or appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CELI can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Padovano, a collection of medieval documents from the city of Padua, dating back to the 13th century. In this document, a person named Giacomo Celi is mentioned, suggesting the name's presence in the region during that time.
The CELI surname has also been linked to various place names in Italy, such as Celi, a small town located in the province of Cosenza, Calabria. It is possible that the surname originated from this location and was adopted by individuals who either lived or originated from this area.
During the Renaissance period, the CELI name gained prominence with notable individuals bearing this surname. One such figure was Bartolomeo Celi, a renowned Italian sculptor who lived from 1516 to 1575. His works can be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy, showcasing his mastery of the Renaissance art style.
Another notable bearer of the CELI surname was Gian Battista Celi, an Italian painter and architect who lived from 1510 to 1592. He was known for his contributions to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in Rome and other Italian cities.
In the 17th century, Francesco Celi, an Italian mathematician and astronomer, made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics. Born in 1634 and died in 1708, he published several works on astronomy and was influential in the development of early modern scientific thought.
Moving into the 18th century, Pietro Celi, an Italian painter and engraver, gained recognition for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting religious and historical scenes. He lived from 1707 to 1778 and his works can be found in various art collections and museums across Italy.
Finally, in the 19th century, Antonio Celi, an Italian politician and lawyer, played a crucial role in the unification of Italy. Born in 1810 and died in 1892, he served as a member of the Italian Parliament and actively supported the Risorgimento movement, which aimed to unite the various states of the Italian peninsula.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and widespread presence of the CELI surname throughout various regions of Italy and across different fields, including art, science, and politics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Celi
Among Census respondents with the surname Celi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 45.0%. The next largest groups are White (39.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Celi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Celi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino45.0% · 373
- White39.9% · 331
- Asian and Pacific Islander12.5% · 104
- Two or more races1.4% · 12
- Black or African American1.0% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Celi
Celi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#32,562
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 706
+113 bearers (+19.1%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 3,235 places
2020
#30,224
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 829
+123 bearers (+17.4%)
Per 100,000 0.28
Rank movement Up 2,338 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #35,797 | 593 | 0.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,562 | 706 | 0.24 | +113 bearers (+19.1%) | Up 3,235 places |
| 2020 | #30,224 | 829 | 0.28 | +123 bearers (+17.4%) | Up 2,338 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Celi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,562 | #30,224 | 7.2% |
| Count | 706 | 829 | 17.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.28 | 15.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Celi bearers went from 706 to 829 (+17.4% change). The surname moved up 2,338 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,562 to #30,224.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Celi
FAQ
Celi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Celi?
Name Census estimates that about 951 living Americans carry the surname Celi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 360,415 residents.
How common is Celi?
Celi ranks #30,224 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.28 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 829 people with the surname Celi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (951), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.28 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.28 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Celi.
Has Celi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Celi went from 706 recorded bearers to 829. That is an increase of 123 (+17.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #32,562 to #30,224.
What does the Census say about the background of Celi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Celi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 45.0%. The next largest groups are White (39.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Celi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 45.0% (373 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Celi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (45.0%), White (39.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Celi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Celi mean?
An occupational Italian surname derived from the Latin word "caelum" meaning sky or heaven. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Celi (0.28 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Celi?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Celi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.