2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Polifroni
A Greek surname probably indicating an individual with multiple characters or personalities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Polifroni. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Polifroni 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Polifroni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Polifroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Polifroni
The surname POLIFRONI is of Italian origin, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Tuscany, particularly in the towns of Siena and Florence. The name is derived from the Italian words "poli," meaning "many," and "froni," which may have referred to a type of leaf or foliage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name POLIFRONI can be found in a 1376 document from the Archivio di Stato di Siena, which mentions a certain Guido Polifroni. This suggests that the name was already in use during the late medieval period in Tuscany.
In the 15th century, the POLIFRONI name appeared in several historical records from Florence. A notable example is the 1457 tax register, which lists a Bartolomeo Polifroni among the city's residents. This document provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region during the Renaissance era.
The 16th century saw the emergence of a prominent figure bearing the POLIFRONI name. Giovanni Battista Polifroni (1520-1592) was a renowned sculptor and architect from Siena. His works can be found in various churches and public buildings throughout Tuscany, including the Cathedral of Siena.
In the 17th century, the POLIFRONI name spread beyond Tuscany, with records indicating family members residing in other parts of Italy. One noteworthy individual was Giacomo Polifroni (1635-1701), a Catholic priest and theologian from Rome who authored several religious treatises.
Moving into the 18th century, the POLIFRONI name gained recognition in the field of art. Antonio Polifroni (1715-1792) was a celebrated painter from Milan, known for his religious and mythological works. His paintings can be found in galleries and churches across northern Italy.
As the centuries passed, the POLIFRONI surname continued to be carried by individuals in various professions. In the 19th century, Francesco Polifroni (1820-1887) was a prominent lawyer and judge from Naples, renowned for his expertise in civil law.
While the POLIFRONI name has historical ties to Italy, particularly Tuscany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and early documented instances firmly root it in the Italian peninsula, where it has left an indelible mark on the country's rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Polifroni
Among Census respondents with the surname Polifroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Polifroni 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 Polifroni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino11.2% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Polifroni
Polifroni appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-2 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,706 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 4,706 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 Polifroni 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 | #160,975 | #156,269 | 2.9% |
| Count | 100 | 98 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Polifroni bearers went from 100 to 98 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 4,706 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #156,269.
FAQ
Polifroni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Polifroni?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Polifroni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Polifroni?
Polifroni ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Polifroni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Polifroni.
Has Polifroni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Polifroni went from 100 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 2 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Polifroni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Polifroni, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.1%). 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 Polifroni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (84 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Polifroni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Hispanic (11.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.1%). 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 Polifroni (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 Polifroni mean?
A Greek surname probably indicating an individual with multiple characters or personalities. 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 Polifroni (0.03 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 share the surname Polifroni?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.