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

Rafanan, 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 Rafanan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rafanan in America

Rafanan is the 35812th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rafanan surname appeared 627 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 Rafanan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rafanan 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 Rafanan

The surname RAFANAN originates from the Philippines, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Tagalog word "rafanan," which means "place where rafters are made." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals involved in the construction or woodworking trades, possibly as a reference to their occupation or the location where they resided or conducted business.

One of the earliest documented instances of the RAFANAN surname can be found in the Spanish colonial records from the late 1500s, referring to a family residing in the province of Bulacan. During this period, many Filipinos adopted Spanish-style surnames, either chosen by themselves or assigned by colonial authorities, which could have been influenced by their trades, locations, or physical characteristics.

In the 17th century, the RAFANAN name appears in various church records and local documents from the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, indicating its presence in these regions. One notable individual bearing this surname was Juan RAFANAN (1645-1712), a respected farmer and community leader in the town of Meycauayan, Bulacan.

As the years progressed, the RAFANAN surname spread to other parts of the Philippines, with some variations in spelling, such as "Raphanan" or "Rafanan." In the late 18th century, a significant figure, Marcelo RAFANAN (1775-1842), emerged as a prominent landowner and businessman in the province of Pampanga, contributing to the local economy and community development.

Another notable individual was Dolores RAFANAN (1820-1896), a respected educator and advocate for women's education in the town of San Fernando, Pampanga. Her efforts played a crucial role in establishing educational opportunities for young women during a time when such initiatives were rare.

In the 19th century, the RAFANAN surname continued to be documented in various historical records, including land deeds, census records, and local archives. One notable figure from this era was Emilio RAFANAN (1865-1932), a respected lawyer and judge who served in the judiciary system of the Philippines during the early years of American colonial rule.

Throughout its history, the RAFANAN surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, educators, professionals, and community leaders, contributing to the rich tapestry of Philippine society and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rafanan

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

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

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

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