2000
#26,163
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 879
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.33
Very Rare Last name
Biffle
A surname derived from a Middle English word referring to a type of cudgel or staff.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 960 Americans carry the last name Biffle. That puts it at #29,976 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 357,036 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Biffle 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
960
1 in 357,036
Census rank
#29,976
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
837
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 837 bearers of the surname Biffle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 29976th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Biffle, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.5%. The next largest groups are Black (24.3%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Biffle
The surname Biffle originated in England in the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "byfel," meaning "a wedge-shaped piece of land." This suggests that the name was likely initially a topographic name, given to someone who resided near or owned a wedge-shaped plot of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named William Biffle is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, indicating that the Biffle name had already established itself in England by the 12th century.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Biffeld, Byfeld, and Byfelde, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable individual from this period was John de Byfelde, who was recorded as a landowner in Warwickshire in 1279.
During the 14th century, the Biffle surname continued to be documented in various records across England. For instance, the Poll Tax returns of 1379 list a Robert Byffeld from Worcestershire, providing evidence of the name's presence in different parts of the country.
By the 15th century, the spelling had largely settled on the modern form of Biffle. A notable figure from this era was Sir John Biffle, a knight who served in the Wars of the Roses and fought at the Battle of Towton in 1461.
In the 16th century, the Biffle family continued to establish itself in various regions of England. One prominent individual was William Biffle, born in 1543, who served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Stratford-upon-Avon during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
As the centuries passed, the Biffle surname continued to be represented in various aspects of English society. Notable individuals include James Biffle (1687-1756), a renowned architect who designed several churches in London, and Reverend Samuel Biffle (1718-1795), a respected clergyman and author of several theological works.
Throughout its history, the Biffle surname has maintained a presence in England, although it has never been among the most common surnames. Its longevity and endurance can be attributed to its roots in the medieval era and its association with landholding and social standing in various parts of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Biffle
Among Census respondents with the surname Biffle, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.5%. The next largest groups are Black (24.3%) and Two or More Races (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Biffle 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 Biffle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White64.5% · 540
- Black or African American24.3% · 203
- Two or more races6.9% · 58
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Biffle
Biffle 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
#26,949
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 900
+21 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Down 786 places
2020
#29,976
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 837
-63 bearers (-7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.28
Rank movement Down 3,027 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,163 | 879 | 0.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #26,949 | 900 | 0.31 | +21 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 786 places |
| 2020 | #29,976 | 837 | 0.28 | -63 bearers (-7.0%) | Down 3,027 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 Biffle 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 | #26,949 | #29,976 | -11.2% |
| Count | 900 | 837 | -7.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.31 | 0.28 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Biffle bearers went from 900 to 837 (-7.0% change). The surname moved down 3,027 positions in the national ranking, going from #26,949 to #29,976.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Biffle
FAQ
Biffle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Biffle?
Name Census estimates that about 960 living Americans carry the surname Biffle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 357,036 residents.
How common is Biffle?
Biffle ranks #29,976 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 837 people with the surname Biffle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (960), 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 Biffle.
Has Biffle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Biffle went from 900 recorded bearers to 837. That is a decrease of 63 (-7.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #26,949 to #29,976.
What does the Census say about the background of Biffle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Biffle, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.5%. The next largest groups are Black (24.3%) and Two or More Races (6.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Biffle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 64.5% (540 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Biffle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (64.5%), Black (24.3%), Two or More Races (6.9%). 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 Biffle (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 Biffle mean?
A surname derived from a Middle English word referring to a type of cudgel or staff. 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 Biffle (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 share the surname Biffle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.