Ferraina last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Ferraina

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly Italian and derived from the word "ferro" meaning iron.

Ferraina, 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 Ferraina surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferraina in America

Ferraina is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferraina surname appeared 107 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 Ferraina.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferraina 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 152628 131366 14.97%
Count 107 119 -10.62%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Ferraina

The surname Ferraina has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "ferraro," which translates to "blacksmith" or "ironworker." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name were likely involved in metalworking trades.

Ferraina is thought to have first emerged in the region of Piedmont, located in northwestern Italy. The name may have its roots in the town of Ferrania, a small comune in the province of Vercelli. This area was known for its metalworking and mining activities during the Middle Ages, which could have led to the occupational surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ferraina can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in Campania. This codex, compiled in the 11th century, includes references to individuals with the surname Ferraina, indicating its existence during that time period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Ferraina was Guglielmo Ferraina, a Franciscan friar and theologian from Piedmont. He was born around 1230 and served as a lecturer at the University of Paris, where he gained recognition for his contributions to the field of theology.

Another prominent individual with the surname Ferraina was Giovanni Battista Ferraina, an Italian painter and architect who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in Genoa in 1574, he is renowned for his fresco work in various churches and palaces throughout Italy.

During the Renaissance period, the name Ferraina was associated with the Ferraina family, a noble clan from the city of Novara in Piedmont. One member of this family, Galeazzo Ferraina, served as a diplomat and ambassador for the Duchy of Milan in the 15th century.

In the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Ferraina was Cesare Ferraina, an Italian military officer and politician. Born in 1819 in Piedmont, he played a significant role in the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification, and later served as a member of the Italian parliament.

Throughout history, the surname Ferraina has maintained a strong presence in Italy, particularly in the regions of Piedmont and Liguria, where it originated. While the name has evolved over time, with various spelling variations, its connection to the metalworking and ironworking trades remains a central part of its etymology and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferraina

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

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 Ferraina was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.33% 102
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 4.67% 5

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.33% 96.64% -1.36%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic 4.67% (S)% (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 Ferraina was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

"Ferraina last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 10, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/ferraina-surname-popularity/.

"Ferraina last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/ferraina-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 May, 2025

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

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