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

Asfaha, 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 Asfaha surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Asfaha in America

Asfaha is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Asfaha surname appeared 210 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 Asfaha.

We can also compare 2010 data for Asfaha 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 Asfaha

The surname "ASFAHA" is of Eritrean and Ethiopian origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Semitic kingdoms of the region. It is believed to have originated from the Ge'ez language, which was widely spoken in the area during the early centuries of the first millennium AD.

One of the earliest known references to the name "ASFAHA" can be found in the Ge'ez manuscripts of the Axumite Kingdom, which ruled over parts of modern-day Eritrea and Ethiopia from the 1st to the 8th century AD. These ancient texts often mentioned individuals with this surname, suggesting that it was a well-established name among the nobility and upper classes of the time.

The name "ASFAHA" is thought to be derived from the Ge'ez word "asfah," which translates to "enlightened" or "illuminated." This suggests that the original bearers of this surname may have been scholars, scribes, or individuals of significant intellectual or spiritual stature within their communities.

In the medieval period, the name "ASFAHA" continued to appear in various chronicles and records of the region. One notable figure was Abuna Asfaha, a prominent Ethiopian cleric who lived in the 14th century and was known for his influential writings on theology and philosophy.

As the centuries passed, the surname "ASFAHA" spread across different regions of Eritrea and Ethiopia, with several variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging. For instance, in some areas, it was written as "Asfaw" or "Asfaw," reflecting the linguistic diversity of the region.

Among the notable individuals who bore this surname throughout history are:

1. Gebra Asfaha (c. 1600s), a renowned Eritrean scholar and poet known for his works on religious subjects.
2. Kidane Asfaha (1820-1890), an Ethiopian military leader who played a crucial role in the Battle of Gura during the Ethiopian-Egyptian War.
3. Yohannes Asfaha (1865-1933), an Eritrean educator and linguist who contributed significantly to the preservation of the Tigrinya language.
4. Wolde Asfaha (1892-1976), an Ethiopian diplomat and political figure who served as a minister during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie.
5. Tesfaye Asfaha (1920-1998), an influential Eritrean writer and playwright whose works explored themes of culture, identity, and social issues.

While the surname "ASFAHA" has its roots in the ancient past, it continues to be prevalent among individuals of Eritrean and Ethiopian descent, serving as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Asfaha

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

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

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

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