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

Shiferaw, 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 Shiferaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shiferaw in America

Shiferaw is the 47614th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shiferaw surname appeared 445 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 Shiferaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shiferaw 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 Shiferaw

The surname "SHIFERAW" originates from Ethiopia and is believed to have its roots in the Amharic language, which is one of the major languages spoken in the country. The name is thought to be derived from the Amharic word "shif," which means "river" or "stream," and "eraw," which can be interpreted as "across" or "the other side."

This surname is commonly found among the Amhara people, an ethnic group that has played a significant role in the history and culture of Ethiopia. The name's connection to geographical features like rivers or streams suggests that it may have been initially given to individuals or families who lived near or crossed these bodies of water.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name SHIFERAW can be traced back to the 15th century, during the reign of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. In historical records from this period, there are references to individuals bearing this surname, though their exact identities and roles remain unclear.

During the 17th century, a prominent figure named SHIFERAW Abba Metku emerged as a notable leader and scholar in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. He is credited with authoring several religious texts and contributing to the preservation of the church's traditions and teachings.

In the 19th century, SHIFERAW Bekele was a renowned Ethiopian warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in defending the country against foreign invasions. He is celebrated for his bravery and strategic prowess in battles against Italian and Egyptian forces.

Another notable individual with the surname SHIFERAW is Haile SHIFERAW, a 20th-century Ethiopian political figure and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a significant role in shaping Ethiopia's international relations during a turbulent period in the country's history.

The name SHIFERAW has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations within Ethiopia. For instance, there is a town called SHIFERAW in the Amhara region, which may have derived its name from individuals or families bearing this surname who settled in the area.

While the surname SHIFERAW has its origins in Ethiopia, it has also gained recognition and prevalence in other parts of the world due to migration and the diaspora of Ethiopians. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the rich cultural heritage of the Amhara people and the broader Ethiopian society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shiferaw

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!