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

Marfo, 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 Marfo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marfo in America

Marfo is the 78821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marfo surname appeared 242 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 Marfo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marfo 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 Marfo

The surname MARFO has its origins in Italy, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "marra," which referred to a type of hoe or spade used in agriculture. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in farming or agricultural work.

In the medieval period, the name MARFO appeared in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. Historical records from this time show variations in spelling, such as "Marfoli," "Marfoglio," and "Marfone." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and scribal errors in transcribing the name.

One notable early reference to the name MARFO can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Amiatinus, a collection of medieval documents from the Abbey of Monte Amiata in Tuscany. This manuscript, dating from the 12th to 14th centuries, includes mentions of individuals with the surname MARFO, suggesting its presence in the region during that period.

As the centuries progressed, the name MARFO spread across Italy and beyond. In the 15th century, a merchant named Giacomo MARFO (born circa 1420) was recorded as conducting business in Venice, indicating the name's presence in the prosperous trading city. Another individual of note was Ludovico MARFO (1524-1601), a scholar and author from Parma who wrote extensively on topics ranging from philosophy to mathematics.

In the 17th century, the MARFO surname found its way to the island of Sicily, where a line of landowners and nobility carried the name. One prominent figure was Vincenzo MARFO (1632-1714), a nobleman and patron of the arts who commissioned several grand works of architecture and sculpture in Palermo.

Moving into the 18th and 19th centuries, the name MARFO continued to be present across various regions of Italy. Notable individuals from this period include Girolamo MARFO (1765-1832), a composer and music teacher from Naples, and Maria MARFO (1812-1888), a renowned opera singer who performed in theaters across Europe.

While the surname MARFO originated in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the Italian peninsula, where it was likely first adopted by individuals involved in agricultural pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marfo

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

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

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

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