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

Kifle, 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 Kifle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kifle in America

Kifle is the 41886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kifle surname appeared 519 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 Kifle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kifle 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 Kifle

The surname Kifle is of Ethiopian origin, with its roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Amharic word "kifil," which means "folded" or "wrapped," potentially referring to a person's occupation or physical characteristic.

Kifle is predominantly found in the central and northern regions of Ethiopia, particularly in the provinces of Gondar, Gojjam, and Wollo. The name has been documented in various historical records and manuscripts, including the chronicles of the Solomonic Dynasty, which ruled Ethiopia from the 13th to the 20th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kifle can be found in the 16th-century manuscript "Kebre Negest," which chronicles the lives of Ethiopian emperors. The manuscript mentions a prominent figure named Kifle Mariam, who served as a court official during the reign of Emperor Lebna Dengel (1508-1540).

In the 18th century, the name Kifle gained further prominence with the birth of Kifle Benyam (1724-1798), a renowned Ethiopian scholar and poet. His works, which included religious poetry and commentaries on ancient texts, played a significant role in preserving and disseminating Ethiopian literature and culture.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Kifle was Kifle Selassie (1892-1962), an Ethiopian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I. Kifle Selassie played a crucial role in representing Ethiopia on the international stage and advocating for the country's sovereignty.

The name Kifle has also been associated with various place names in Ethiopia, such as Kifle Hager, a town located in the Amhara region, and Kifle Maryam, a village in the Tigray region. These place names often reflect the presence of churches or monasteries dedicated to saints or religious figures with the name Kifle.

Throughout history, the surname Kifle has been carried by numerous individuals, including scholars, poets, politicians, and religious figures, reflecting its deep-rooted heritage and cultural significance within the Ethiopian context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kifle

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

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

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

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