Effa last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Effa

A contracted form of the Middle English name "Efe" or "Eve."

Effa, 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 Effa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Effa in America

Effa is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Effa surname appeared 136 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 Effa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Effa 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 126018 148244 -16.21%
Count 136 102 28.57%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.04 22.22%

The history of the last name Effa

The surname Effa has its origins in Germany, with records indicating its presence dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "eff," which means "edge" or "border." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a border or boundary region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Effa can be found in the historical records of the city of Nuremberg, where an individual named Hans Effa was listed as a resident in the year 1568. It is possible that this individual or his ancestors may have migrated from a nearby border town or village, leading to the adoption of the surname.

In the late 17th century, there are references to a Johannes Effa, a prominent merchant and trader from the city of Hamburg. His business dealings extended throughout the German states and neighboring regions, indicating the name's spread across various areas during this period.

The Effa surname also appears in several historical documents from the 18th century, such as land records and church registries. One notable figure was Wilhelm Effa, a skilled craftsman born in 1724 in the town of Halle, who gained recognition for his intricate woodcarvings adorning local churches and noble residences.

As the 19th century dawned, the Effa name continued to be prevalent in various parts of Germany. Johann Effa, born in 1801 in the village of Essen, was a respected scholar and educator who authored several books on German literature and philosophy.

Another significant individual bearing the Effa surname was Katharina Effa, born in 1856 in Berlin. She was a pioneering woman in the field of medicine, becoming one of the first female physicians in Germany at a time when the profession was predominantly male-dominated.

While the surname Effa has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. However, its earliest origins and historical references can be traced back to the German regions, where it emerged as a distinctive surname with ties to geographical locations and boundaries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Effa

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

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 Effa was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 83.09% 113
Non-Hispanic Black Only 15.44% 21
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 83.09% 92.16% -10.35%
Black 15.44% 7.84% 65.29%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic (S)% 0.00% (S)%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Effa, 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!

"Effa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 12, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/effa-surname-popularity/.

"Effa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/effa-surname-popularity/. Accessed 12 May, 2025

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

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