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

Buffa, 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 Buffa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buffa in America

Buffa is the 18529th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buffa surname appeared 1,489 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Buffa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buffa 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 Buffa

The surname BUFFA originated in Italy. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "buffa", which means "a puff of wind" or "a gust of air". This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was considered boisterous or windy.

The earliest known record of the BUFFA surname can be traced back to the late 13th century in the region of Sicily. A document from the year 1289 mentions a man named Nicolao Buffa, who was a landowner in the town of Palermo.

In the 14th century, the name spread to other parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Calabria and Campania. The spelling variations during this time included Buffa, Buffa, and Buff.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the BUFFA surname was Giovanni Buffa, a Sicilian painter who lived from around 1460 to 1532. He was known for his religious works and frescoes in various churches throughout Sicily.

Another prominent figure was Vincenzo Buffa, a 17th-century playwright and poet from Naples. He was born in 1628 and is best known for his comedic plays, which satirized the social and political issues of his time.

In the 18th century, the BUFFA name gained recognition through the work of Giuseppe Buffa, a renowned architect from Palermo. He was born in 1704 and designed several notable buildings, including the Chiesa di San Domenico and the Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi.

During the 19th century, Domenico Buffa, a Sicilian politician and lawyer, made a significant impact. He was born in 1818 and served as a member of the Sicilian Parliament, advocating for social reforms and the abolition of feudalism.

Another notable figure from this period was Pietro Buffa, a Italian patriot and military officer who fought in the Italian unification wars. He was born in 1822 and played a crucial role in the battles against the Austrian Empire, earning him the title of "Hero of Two Worlds".

Throughout its history, the BUFFA surname has been associated with various professions, including artists, writers, architects, politicians, and military figures, reflecting the diverse contributions of individuals with this name to Italian culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buffa

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

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

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

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