Roman family name which possibly derives from the Latin element cornu "horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius was a centurion who was directed by an angel to seek Peter. After speaking with Peter he converted to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.