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

Bonfil, 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 Bonfil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bonfil in America

Bonfil is the 91981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bonfil surname appeared 200 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 Bonfil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bonfil 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 Bonfil

The surname "BONFIL" has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal. The name is believed to have emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

One theory suggests that the name "BONFIL" is derived from the Catalan or Occitan words "bon" and "fil," which translate to "good" and "son," respectively. It may have been initially used as a descriptive name, referring to a person who was considered a good or virtuous son.

Another possible origin traces the name back to the Latin phrase "bona filia," meaning "good daughter." This could indicate that the name was initially given to a family with a respected or esteemed daughter.

Historical records from the 14th century mention individuals with the surname "BONFIL" in various parts of the Iberian Peninsula. One notable example is Juan Bonfil, a merchant from Barcelona who is mentioned in trade documents from the year 1367.

During the 15th century, the name appears in several manuscripts and records from the Kingdom of Aragon and the Crown of Castile. In 1492, a certain Pedro Bonfil is listed as one of the residents of the town of Teruel, in present-day Aragon.

The earliest recorded use of the name outside of the Iberian Peninsula dates back to the 16th century, when a family of Sephardic Jews bearing the surname "BONFIL" settled in the Ottoman Empire after being expelled from Spain during the Inquisition.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname "BONFIL" was Isaac Bonfil (1622-1689), a prominent rabbi and scholar who lived in Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). He authored several works on Jewish law and philosophy.

Another historical figure was David Bonfil (1776-1842), a renowned Hebrew poet and scholar from Livorno, Italy. He is best known for his poetic works and contributions to the study of Hebrew literature.

In the 19th century, Joseph Bonfil (1835-1909) was a prominent French writer and journalist who wrote extensively on social and political issues of his time.

Miguel Bonfil (1914-1998), a Mexican anthropologist and researcher, made significant contributions to the study of indigenous cultures in Mexico, particularly the Huichol people.

While the surname "BONFIL" is more commonly found in Spain, Portugal, and countries with Sephardic Jewish communities, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bonfil

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

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

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

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