Salfiti last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Salfiti

A habitational surname derived from Salfit, a town in the West Bank of Palestine.

Salfiti, 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 Salfiti surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salfiti in America

Salfiti is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salfiti surname appeared 106 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 Salfiti.

The history of the last name Salfiti

The surname Salfiti is an Arabic name with origins that can be traced back to the Middle East, specifically in the region of Syria and Lebanon. This surname is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "salfit," which refers to a type of tree known as the willow or sallow tree.

The earliest known records of the Salfiti name date back to the 11th century, appearing in historical documents from the Levant region. It is possible that the name's association with the willow tree may have been due to the presence of these trees in the areas where the surname first emerged.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the Salfiti surname was Abu al-Qasim Ali ibn Salfiti, a notable Islamic scholar and poet who lived in Aleppo, Syria, during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. His works in Arabic literature and poetry have been preserved and studied by scholars over the centuries.

In the 13th century, the Salfiti name appeared in manuscripts from the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. During this period, the name was associated with several prominent figures, including the historian and writer Ibn Salfiti, who authored works on the history of Damascus and the surrounding regions.

As the Salfiti family dispersed throughout the Levant and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Salfithi, Salfity, and Salfeety. These variations reflect the influence of local dialects and the adaptations made by different communities over time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Salfiti surname was Ibrahim Salfiti, a renowned calligrapher and artist who worked in the Ottoman Empire. His intricate calligraphic works adorned many mosques and institutions across the empire, showcasing the artistic legacy of the Salfiti family.

Another prominent individual with the Salfiti name was Yusuf Salfiti, a 17th-century merchant and trader who established trade routes between the Middle East and Europe. His entrepreneurial endeavors contributed to the economic and cultural exchange between these regions during that era.

Throughout the centuries, the Salfiti surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, merchants, and professionals. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Middle East, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the global mobility and diversity of families bearing this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salfiti

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

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 Salfiti was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.45% 98
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 4.72% 5

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.

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Salfiti last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 1, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/salfiti-surname-popularity/.

"Salfiti last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/salfiti-surname-popularity/. Accessed 1 July, 2025

Salfiti last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/salfiti-surname-popularity/.

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