2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Garfia
A Spanish surname derived from the word "garfio," meaning hook or grappling iron.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Garfia. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Garfia surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Garfia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Garfia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Garfia
The surname Garfia is believed to have originated in Spain, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "garfia," which means "talon" or "claw." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who had a distinguishing physical characteristic, such as an unusually curved or claw-like hand or foot.
During the Reconquista, a period spanning several centuries when Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed territories from Moorish rule, the name Garfia first appeared in historical records. One of the earliest documented references is found in the Becerro de Behetrías, a census-like document from the 14th century that listed landowners and their properties.
The Garfia surname is believed to have originated in the regions of Castile and León, as evidenced by its presence in ancient manuscripts and chronicles from those areas. Some scholars suggest that the name may have evolved from a place name, possibly a small village or hamlet where the first bearers of the surname resided.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Juan Garfia was mentioned in a legal document pertaining to a land dispute in the city of Toledo. This Juan Garfia was a prominent landowner and influential member of the local community at the time.
During the 16th century, the Garfia name gained recognition when Pedro Garfia, a skilled architect, was commissioned to design and construct several churches and public buildings in the city of Seville. His contributions to the architectural heritage of the city are still celebrated today.
In the 17th century, a military officer named Rodrigo Garfia played a significant role in the Spanish conquest of the Americas. He was part of the expedition led by Hernán Cortés and participated in the conquest of Mexico. Historical accounts describe Rodrigo Garfia as a brave and skilled warrior who contributed to the success of the campaign.
Another notable figure bearing the Garfia surname was María Garfia, a renowned poet and writer who lived in the 18th century. Her literary works, which explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, garnered widespread acclaim and influenced subsequent generations of Spanish writers.
Throughout its history, the Garfia surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, architects, military personnel, and artists. While its origins may have been humble, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Spain and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Garfia
Among Census respondents with the surname Garfia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Garfia bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Garfia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino97.4% · 111
- Black or African American2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Garfia
Garfia appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,267 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,267 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Garfia surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #146,495 | -5.2% |
| Count | 120 | 114 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Garfia bearers went from 120 to 114 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,267 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #146,495.
FAQ
Garfia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Garfia?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Garfia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Garfia?
Garfia ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Garfia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Garfia.
Has Garfia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Garfia went from 120 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Garfia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Garfia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 97.4%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Garfia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.4% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Garfia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (97.4%), Black (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Garfia (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Garfia mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word "garfio," meaning hook or grappling iron. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Garfia (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Garfia?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.