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

Karaffa, 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 Karaffa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karaffa in America

Karaffa is the 37544th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karaffa surname appeared 593 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 Karaffa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karaffa 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 Karaffa

The surname Karaffa is of Italian origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period in regions of Northern Italy. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "caraffa," meaning "carafe" or "decanter," which was a type of glass bottle used for holding liquids. This connection suggests that the name may have been associated with glassmakers, wine merchants, or those involved in the production or trade of such vessels.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Karaffa can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of medieval legal documents from the Lombard territories in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. While specific individuals are not mentioned, the name is referenced in relation to land ownership and property transactions.

In the 13th century, the Karaffa family emerged as a prominent noble lineage in the city-state of Genoa, known for their involvement in maritime trade and naval affairs. Notably, Andrea Karaffa (1228-1291) was a renowned Genoese admiral and statesman who played a crucial role in the city's naval victories against rival maritime powers.

During the Renaissance period, the name Karaffa gained further prominence with the rise of the influential Carafa family in Naples. This noble dynasty produced several notable figures, including Giovanni Pietro Carafa (1476-1559), who became Pope Paul IV in 1555. His papacy was marked by significant reforms within the Catholic Church and efforts to counter the spread of Protestantism.

Another influential figure bearing the surname Karaffa was Vincenzo Carafa (1585-1649), a prominent jurist and legal scholar from Naples. His work, "De Regis Catholici Praestantia," published in 1628, was a seminal treatise on the rights and prerogatives of the Spanish monarchy, reflecting the political and legal dynamics of the time.

In the realm of arts and literature, the name Karaffa is associated with the Italian painter and architect, Annibale Carracci (1560-1609), who was a leading figure in the Baroque art movement. His works, such as the frescoes in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, exemplified the grandeur and dynamism of the Baroque style.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals bearing the surname Karaffa throughout history, reflecting its Italian origins and the diverse roles and contributions of those who carried this name across various fields and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karaffa

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

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

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

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