Bufano last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bufano

A surname of Italian origin meaning "puffer" or "one who blows".

Bufano, 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 Bufano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bufano in America

Bufano is the 49268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bufano surname appeared 427 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 Bufano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bufano 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 49268 46000 6.86%
Count 427 437 -2.31%
Proportion per 100k 0.14 0.16 -13.33%

The history of the last name Bufano

The surname Bufano originates from Italy, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bufano," which means "buffalo." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been associated with buffalo herding or resided in areas where these animals were prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bufano can be found in the historic documents of the city of Naples, dating back to the 13th century. These records mention individuals bearing the surname, indicating that the name had already established itself in the region during that time.

In the 14th century, the Bufano family was documented as landowners in the town of Caserta, located in the Campania region of Italy. This suggests that the family had gained a certain level of prominence and social standing within the local community.

During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the surname Bufano was Gian Bernardo Bufano, a renowned sculptor and architect from Genoa. Born in 1490, Bufano's works adorned several churches and public buildings throughout Italy, showcasing his artistic talent and contribution to the artistic landscape of the time.

Another prominent individual with the surname Bufano was Antonio Bufano, a military leader and strategist from Naples. He served under the command of Spanish rulers during the 16th century and played a crucial role in several military campaigns, earning recognition for his strategic prowess.

In the 18th century, the Bufano family extended its presence to the island of Sicily, where they established themselves as merchants and landowners. One notable member from this era was Giuseppe Bufano, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of a hospital in the city of Palermo.

As the name Bufano spread throughout Italy, it also found its way into various place names and geographical locations. For instance, the town of Bufano di Montechiaro in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, is believed to have derived its name from the presence of the Bufano family in the area.

Throughout history, the surname Bufano has been spelled in various ways, such as Bufani, Buffano, and Buffani, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to its Italian roots and the association with buffalo herding or areas where these animals were found.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bufano

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

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 Bufano was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.38% 403
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.17% 5
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.41% 6
Hispanic Origin 2.34% 10

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 Bufano has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.38% 95.19% -0.85%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.17% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 1.14% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.41% 1.60% -12.62%
Hispanic 2.34% 1.37% 52.29%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bufano last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bufano-surname-popularity/.

"Bufano last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bufano-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 July, 2025

Bufano last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bufano-surname-popularity/.

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