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

Efferson, 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 Efferson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Efferson in America

Efferson is the 45886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Efferson surname appeared 465 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 Efferson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Efferson 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 Efferson

The surname Efferson has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "effera" and "tun," which translates to "river town" or "town by the river." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name lived in a settlement situated near a river or body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Efferson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions an individual named Aelfric of Efferton, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, often spelled as "Effertun" or "Effretun." This variation in spelling was common in those times due to the lack of standardized orthography and the influence of local dialects.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Efferson was John Efferson, a merchant and landowner who lived in the county of Yorkshire. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and owned several properties in the region.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Efferson, who lived in the late 15th century. He served as a knight and military commander during the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York over the English throne.

During the 16th century, the spelling of the surname began to stabilize, and variations such as "Effertson" and "Effertone" became less common. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Thomas Efferson (1520-1588), a scholar and theologian who studied at Oxford University and later became a prominent figure in the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, the surname Efferson was associated with the village of Effordby, located in the county of Yorkshire. It is likely that some families bearing this name originated from or had ties to this particular location.

Another notable figure was Sir John Efferson (1640-1712), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry who served as a Member of Parliament for several terms, representing various constituencies in Yorkshire.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Efferson has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, scholars, military personnel, and members of the gentry. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Old English words denoting a settlement near a river or body of water.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Efferson

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

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

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

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