2000
#27,313
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 832
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.31
Rare Last name
Maffett
A variant spelling of the French surname Moffatt, derived from a nickname for a plump person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,010 Americans carry the last name Maffett. That puts it at #28,736 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.29 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 339,361 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Maffett 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
1.0K
1 in 339,361
Census rank
#28,736
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
881
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 881 bearers of the surname Maffett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.29 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 28736th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Maffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Maffett
The surname Maffett is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "maffe," which means "small child" or "young boy." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone small in stature or young in age.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Maffett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire from 1203, where it was spelled as "Maffet." Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Maffitt, Maffitt, and Maffett, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records during that period.
The Maffett surname has a long and rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded individuals was John Maffett, a landowner from Nottinghamshire who lived in the 14th century. Another notable figure was William Maffett, a merchant from Derbyshire who was involved in the wool trade in the 15th century.
During the 16th century, the Maffett family seemed to have established themselves in various parts of England. Records show that a Thomas Maffett was born in Lincolnshire in 1542, while a Robert Maffett was a prominent landowner in Yorkshire in the late 1500s.
The 17th century saw the rise of a notable Maffett family in London. Richard Maffett (1597-1673) was a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London, and his son, William Maffett (1623-1695), followed in his footsteps as a prominent businessman.
In the 18th century, the Maffett name gained further recognition with the birth of Sir John Maffett (1725-1797), a distinguished naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership in several naval battles.
Moving into the 19th century, the Maffett surname continued to be associated with notable individuals. One such figure was James Maffett (1819-1892), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.
While the Maffett surname may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Maffett
Among Census respondents with the surname Maffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Maffett 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 Maffett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.7% · 596
- Black or African American28.4% · 250
- Two or more races2.2% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Maffett
Maffett appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#27,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 859
+27 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Down 605 places
2020
#28,736
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 881
+22 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Down 818 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #27,313 | 832 | 0.31 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,918 | 859 | 0.29 | +27 bearers (+3.2%) | Down 605 places |
| 2020 | #28,736 | 881 | 0.29 | +22 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 818 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 Maffett 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 | #27,918 | #28,736 | -2.9% |
| Count | 859 | 881 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.29 | 0.29 | 1.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Maffett bearers went from 859 to 881 (+2.6% change). The surname moved down 818 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,918 to #28,736.
FAQ
Maffett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Maffett?
Name Census estimates that about 1,010 living Americans carry the surname Maffett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 339,361 residents.
How common is Maffett?
Maffett ranks #28,736 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.29 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 881 people with the surname Maffett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,010), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.29 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.29 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 Maffett.
Has Maffett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Maffett went from 859 recorded bearers to 881. That is an increase of 22 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #27,918 to #28,736.
What does the Census say about the background of Maffett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Maffett, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.7%. The next largest groups are Black (28.4%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Maffett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.7% (596 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Maffett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.7%), Black (28.4%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Maffett (2000, 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 Maffett mean?
A variant spelling of the French surname Moffatt, derived from a nickname for a plump person. 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 Maffett (0.29 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 last name Maffett?
Find out how common the surname Maffett is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.