Find out how popular the last name Mafi is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mafi.
An Albanian surname referring to someone from the town of Mafi.
Mafi, 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 Mafi surname is from the 2010 census data.
Mafi is the 48800th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Mafi surname appeared 432 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 Mafi.
We can also compare 2010 data for Mafi 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 48800 | 62961 | -25.34% |
| Count | 432 | 297 | 37.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.15 | 0.11 | 30.77% |
The surname MAFI is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the ancient region of Persia, now modern-day Iran. It is thought to be derived from the Persian word "mafi," which translates to "exemption" or "immunity." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who held special privileges or exemptions from certain obligations or taxes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MAFI can be found in the historical manuscripts of the Safavid dynasty, which ruled Persia from 1501 to 1736. These documents mention a prominent family bearing the surname MAFI, who held influential positions within the court and bureaucracy of the Safavid rulers.
During the reign of Shah Abbas I (1588-1629), a notable figure named Mirza Mohammad MAFI served as a high-ranking official and advisor to the Shah. His contributions to the administration and cultural development of the Safavid empire are well-documented in various historical texts from that period.
In the 17th century, the MAFI surname also appeared in records related to the Persian city of Isfahan, which was the capital of the Safavid dynasty during its golden age. It is possible that the name originated from this region or was closely associated with families residing in Isfahan.
Another prominent individual bearing the MAFI surname was Haji Mirza Hossein MAFI, a 19th-century Persian diplomat and statesman. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering diplomatic relations between Persia and other nations during the Qajar dynasty (1789-1925).
In the early 20th century, Abdollah MAFI, a renowned Persian scholar and linguist, made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Persian language and literature. His works on Persian grammar and lexicography remain influential to this day.
It is worth noting that the MAFI surname may have undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Maffi, Maafi, or Mafi, due to different transliterations from the Persian script to other writing systems.
While the MAFI surname is most prevalent in Iran and among Persian diaspora communities, it has also been recorded in other parts of the Middle East, possibly due to migration or cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Persian civilization and the rich historical tapestry of the region.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mafi.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mafi was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 23.84% | 103 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 55.09% | 238 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 16.20% | 70 |
| Hispanic Origin | 3.70% | 16 |
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 Mafi has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 23.84% | 24.92% | -4.43% |
| Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 55.09% | 56.23% | -2.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 16.20% | 11.45% | 34.36% |
| Hispanic | 3.70% | 6.40% | -53.47% |
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 Mafi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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