Meaning and origin
The name itself is derived from the Latin word "cornu," meaning "horn," possibly indicating an association with strength or power. Over time, the surname Cornelius spread across Europe through conquests, trade, and migration, resulting in various derivatives and adaptations in different regions.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,775
Cornelius was the 1,775th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 20,160 people, about 6.5 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Cornelius
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Cornelius is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.