[1] The genus was first identified in 1953 from samples of air and dust as a catalase-negative, gram-positive coccus that grew in small clusters.

[2] They were subsequently found in hospital environments and meat-curing brines.

[4] Sequencing of 16S rRNA has become the gold standard for identification, but other techniques such as MALDI-TOF have also been useful for identifying both the genus and species.

[4] The name Aerococcus derives from the Greek aer, aeros (ἀήρ, ἀέρος), air; Neo-Latin coccus (from Greekkokkos (κόκκος)), a berry; Neo-Latin Aerococcus, air coccus.

[5] The name was given based on its round shape and that it was first discovered in air samples.