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

Soffe, 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 Soffe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Soffe in America

Soffe is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Soffe surname appeared 215 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 Soffe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Soffe 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 Soffe

The surname Soffe has its origins in England, and it is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "sop" and "foppe," which together would roughly translate to "fool" or "simpleton." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone perceived as foolish or simple-minded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Soffe can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, where a person named Richard Soffe is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time in the county of Gloucestershire.

In the 14th century, there are records of individuals with the name Soffe living in the village of Soffey, which was located in the county of Somerset. It is possible that the name may have originated as a habitational name, derived from this place name, which itself may have been derived from the Old English words "sop" and "foppe."

Notable individuals with the surname Soffe include John Soffe, who was a member of the Parliament of England in the late 16th century, representing the borough of Lyme Regis. Another notable figure was William Soffe, a prominent English merchant and ship owner who lived in the 17th century and was involved in the transatlantic trade.

In the 18th century, a man named Thomas Soffe (1703-1772) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and watchmaker in London. His timepieces were highly sought after and can still be found in museums and private collections today.

During the 19th century, a family of Soffes made their mark in the world of horticulture and botany. James Soffe (1825-1899), a renowned horticulturist, was responsible for introducing several new plant species to England from his travels abroad. His son, Henry Soffe (1857-1921), followed in his footsteps and became a respected botanist and author of several books on plants and gardening.

While the name Soffe may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its English origins over seven centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Soffe

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

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

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

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