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

Farias, 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 Farias surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Farias in America

Farias is the 2252nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Farias surname appeared 16,153 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Farias.

We can also compare 2010 data for Farias 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 Farias

The surname Farias is believed to have originated in Portugal, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "faria," which means "field" or "farmland." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived or worked in rural areas.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Faria," and it is possible that the current spelling, "Farias," emerged as a result of regional variations or as a way to distinguish different branches of the family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical record dating back to the 14th century. This document mentions a nobleman named Gonçalo Farias, who lived during the reign of King Afonso III (1210-1279).

Another notable figure from history bearing this surname was António Farias, a Portuguese navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his famous voyage to India in 1497-1499. Farias played a crucial role in the expedition as one of the ship's captains.

In the 16th century, the name Farias appeared in the records of the Inquisition in Portugal, indicating that some individuals with this surname were persecuted for their religious beliefs during that period.

As the Portuguese established colonies and trading outposts around the world, the surname Farias likely spread to other regions, particularly in South America and parts of Africa.

One prominent individual from the 19th century was Manuel Farias, a Brazilian politician and lawyer who served as the President of the Province of Rio Grande do Sul from 1854 to 1857.

In the realm of literature, José Rodrigues Farias (1793-1876) was a notable Portuguese poet and playwright, known for his contributions to the romantic movement in Portugal.

Another figure of historical significance was General Isidoro Farias (1814-1885), a military leader and politician from Mexico who played a role in the Reform War and the French Intervention in Mexico during the 1860s.

Overall, the surname Farias has a rich history spanning several centuries and continents, with its roots firmly planted in the Iberian Peninsula and a strong association with Portuguese heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Farias

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

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

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

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