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

Ràfols, 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 Ràfols surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ràfols in America

Ràfols is the 85659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ràfols surname appeared 218 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 Ràfols.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ràfols 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 Ràfols

The surname Rafols has its origins in Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain. It is believed to have derived from the word 'rafal,' which is of Arabic origin and means 'farmhouse' or 'small rural settlement.' This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived in or were associated with such settlements in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rafols can be found in the 'Llibre del Repartiment,' a document dating back to the 13th century that recorded the distribution of lands and properties in the Kingdom of Valencia after its conquest by the Christian forces led by King James I of Aragon. The document mentions several individuals with the surname Rafols, indicating that the name was already established in the region by that time.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Guillem Rafols was mentioned in the 'Crònica de Ramon Muntaner,' a historical chronicle written by the Catalan soldier and writer Ramon Muntaner. Guillem Rafols was a notable figure involved in the conquest of Sardinia by the Crown of Aragon in the early 14th century.

During the 15th century, the name Rafols appeared in various historical records, including the 'Llibre de les Nobleses de Catalunya,' which documented the noble families of Catalonia. One notable individual from this period was Joan Rafols, a wealthy merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of Barcelona.

In the 16th century, the Rafols family produced several notable figures, including Miquel Rafols (1521-1587), a renowned scholar and humanist who served as a professor at the University of Barcelona. Another notable individual was Pere Rafols (1548-1612), a prominent lawyer and jurist who served as a magistrate in the Royal Audience of Catalonia.

The 17th century saw the rise of Francesc Rafols (1621-1694), a respected theologian and professor at the University of Barcelona. He was known for his extensive writings on theological and philosophical subjects, which influenced the intellectual discourse of his time.

As the surname Rafols spread throughout Catalonia and beyond, it also appeared in various place names and topographical features. For example, the village of Rafols d'Almunia, located in the province of Tarragona, is believed to have derived its name from the surname, indicating the presence of the Rafols family in that area.

Throughout history, the surname Rafols has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, merchants, lawyers, and landowners. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has left an indelible mark on the history and culture of Catalonia and Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ràfols

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

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

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

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