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

Empfield, 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 Empfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Empfield in America

Empfield is the 84136th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Empfield surname appeared 223 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 Empfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Empfield 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 Empfield

The surname Empfield is of English origin, emerging in the early medieval period around the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from a locational name, referring to a dweller near an open field or meadow. This name likely originated in one of the rural areas of England, where open fields were a common feature of the landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Empfield can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195. These rolls were administrative records kept by the English government, documenting taxes and payments made by landowners. The entry mentions a certain "Robert de Empfield," indicating that the name was already established by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, there are references to the Empfield family in the Feet of Fines records, which documented land transfers and legal agreements. A notable figure from this period was William Empfield, who was party to a land transaction in Oxfordshire in 1278.

During the 14th century, the Empfield surname appears in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of 1379. One notable individual from this time was John Empfield, a landowner in Gloucestershire, who was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334.

The 16th century saw the rise of a prominent Empfield family in the county of Northamptonshire. Sir Thomas Empfield (1495-1572) was a member of the English gentry and served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Empfield name was also found in the United States, with the arrival of early settlers from England. One of the first recorded instances is that of Robert Empfield, who settled in Virginia in 1635.

Another notable figure was John Empfield (1638-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Burwell, Cambridgeshire. He published several works on religious topics and was considered a respected scholar of his time.

The 18th century saw the continued prominence of the Empfield family in England, with several members involved in various professions and trades. One such individual was William Empfield (1701-1778), a successful merchant in London who was known for his philanthropic endeavors.

As the centuries progressed, the Empfield surname continued to spread across different regions, with variations in spelling emerging, such as Emfield and Amfield. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its locational beginnings, reflecting the rich history and heritage of this English surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Empfield

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

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

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

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