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

Maffe, 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 Maffe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maffe in America

Maffe is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maffe surname appeared 106 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 Maffe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maffe 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 Maffe

The surname MAFFE is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "maffia," which means "oath" or "vow." The name was likely adopted by individuals who took a solemn oath or pledge, possibly as part of a religious order or guild.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MAFFE can be found in the archives of the city of Genoa, where a certain Giovanni Maffe was mentioned in a document dated 1342. This suggests that the name was established in the region of Liguria by the 14th century.

During the Renaissance, the MAFFE surname appears to have spread to other parts of Italy. In the late 15th century, a prominent Florentine artist named Antonio Maffe was commissioned to create frescoes for several churches in Florence. His works can still be admired in the Church of Santa Croce and the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

The name MAFFE also gained prominence in the region of Piedmont, where it was associated with a noble family. In the 16th century, a nobleman named Girolamo Maffe was granted the title of Count of Asti by the Duke of Savoy. The Maffe family became influential landowners in the area around Asti and played a role in local politics and governance.

In the 17th century, a scholar and philosopher named Pietro Maffe gained recognition for his writings on ethics and natural law. Born in Naples in 1623, he taught at several prestigious universities in Italy and published several influential works, including "De Iure Naturae et Gentium" (On the Law of Nature and Nations).

Another notable figure with the surname MAFFE was Giuseppe Maffe, a 19th-century military officer and statesman from the Kingdom of Sardinia. Born in Turin in 1802, he served in the Sardinian Army and later held diplomatic positions, representing his country in various European capitals.

While the MAFFE surname is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Italy's rich cultural heritage, with roots stretching back to the medieval period and a legacy intertwined with art, scholarship, and nobility.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maffe

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

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

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

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