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

Farkas, 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 Farkas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Farkas in America

Farkas is the 5204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Farkas surname appeared 6,714 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Farkas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Farkas 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 Farkas

The surname FARKAS originated in Hungary, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Hungarian word "farkas," which means "wolf" or "wolflike." This name likely referred to someone with wolf-like characteristics or someone who lived near a wolf-inhabited area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FARKAS name can be found in the 14th century, in a document from the town of Békés in southeastern Hungary. The name was spelled "Forkos" at the time, which is believed to be a variation of the modern spelling.

In the 15th century, the FARKAS name appeared in several historical records, including tax rolls and land ownership documents. Notably, a man named Farkas Bálint was mentioned in a 1487 document from the city of Szeged, which suggests that the name was well-established in the region by that time.

During the 16th century, the FARKAS name gained prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such person was Farkas András, a Hungarian writer and poet who lived from 1510 to 1572. His works, which included religious poetry and translations of classical literature, were widely read and influential in his time.

Another notable FARKAS from this period was Farkas Máté, a Hungarian military commander who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his bravery and strategic prowess, and his exploits were recorded in several contemporary chronicles.

In the 17th century, the FARKAS name continued to be associated with influential individuals. Farkas György, a Hungarian nobleman and politician, served as the Lord Lieutenant of Zemplén County from 1630 to 1655. His descendants went on to hold prominent positions in Hungarian society for generations.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Farkas Mihály, a renowned Hungarian mathematician and astronomer. Born in 1767, he made significant contributions to the fields of celestial mechanics and geodesy, and his work was widely respected throughout Europe.

As the FARKAS surname spread across Hungary and into neighboring regions, it also became associated with various place names. For example, the village of Farkasvölgy (meaning "Wolf Valley") in western Hungary likely derived its name from the presence of individuals with the FARKAS surname in the area.

Throughout its long history, the FARKAS surname has been borne by numerous individuals who have left their mark on Hungarian culture, science, and history. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, it continues to be a prominent surname in Hungary and other parts of Central Europe to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Farkas

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

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

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

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