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

Guffey, 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 Guffey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Guffey in America

Guffey is the 4828th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Guffey surname appeared 7,307 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 Guffey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Guffey 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 Guffey

The surname Guffey is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "gofaire," which means "maker of wafers" or "maker of thin cakes." This occupation-based surname was likely given to a baker or a confectioner who specialized in making wafers or thin cakes.

In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Gofair, Gofayre, and Goffair, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions of the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, where it is spelled as "Gofayre."

The Guffey surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One prominent figure was John Guffey, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Wilby in Norfolk. He was born around 1610 and published several works, including a book titled "The Whole Duty of Man" in 1658.

Another notable bearer of the Guffey name was James Guffey, an American politician and businessman from Pennsylvania. Born in 1839, he served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate and was involved in various business ventures, including coal mining and railroad operations.

In the literary world, William Guffey, an American author and educator, gained recognition for his works in the late 19th century. Born in 1857, he wrote several textbooks on subjects such as English grammar and composition, which were widely used in schools across the United States.

The Guffey surname also has ties to the military. Major General George S. Guffey, born in 1868, was a decorated officer in the United States Army during the early 20th century. He served in various conflicts, including the Spanish-American War and World War I, and received several honors, including the Distinguished Service Medal.

Lastly, the name Guffey has been associated with the field of sports. Walter Guffey, born in 1900, was an American baseball player who played as an outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams, including the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Senators, during the 1920s and 1930s.

While the Guffey surname may not be among the most common, it has a rich history rooted in occupational origins and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Guffey

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

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

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

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