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

Buffington, 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 Buffington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buffington in America

Buffington is the 4063rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buffington surname appeared 8,738 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Buffington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buffington 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 Buffington

The surname Buffington is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from the place name "Buffington" or a similar spelling variation. This place name likely referred to a town or village in one of the English counties.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Buffington surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Buffington, suggesting that the name had already been established by the late 11th century.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Buffyngton, Buffyngtoun, and Buffyntone, reflecting regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time. These variations likely originated from the Old English words "buff" (meaning a buffalo) and "tun" (meaning a town or settlement), possibly indicating that the name referred to a place where buffaloes were found or kept.

Notable individuals bearing the Buffington surname throughout history include John Buffington (1532-1598), a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, England, and William Buffington (1670-1741), one of the earliest settlers in Pennsylvania, who established a homestead in what is now Delaware County.

In the 17th century, Thomas Buffington (1621-1687) was a prominent Quaker and one of the early settlers of Rhode Island, where he served as a deputy for the colony's general assembly. His descendants played a significant role in the development of the region.

During the American Revolutionary War, Joseph Buffington (1745-1823) served as a captain in the Continental Army and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Yorktown.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Buffington (1792-1865), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Ohio, who founded the Buffington Fund, which provided educational opportunities for underprivileged children in the state.

The Buffington surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on communities across England, the United States, and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buffington

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

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

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

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