Sofi last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Sofi

An Anglicized variant of the Italian surname "Sofi," derived from the Greek word "sophos" meaning "wise" or "learned."

Sofi, 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 Sofi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sofi in America

Sofi is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sofi surname appeared 107 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 Sofi.

The history of the last name Sofi

The surname Sofi has its origins in Italy, where it can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the name Sophia, which has Greek roots and means "wisdom" or "skill." The earliest recorded instance of the name Sofi dates back to the late 12th century, where it appears in a historical document from the city of Florence.

In the 13th century, the name Sofi can be found in records from the region of Tuscany, particularly in the cities of Siena and Lucca. It is likely that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone's occupation, such as a skilled craftsman or a wise person.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Sofi was Giovanni Sofi, a prominent merchant from Siena who lived in the late 14th century. He was known for his successful business ventures and his involvement in local politics.

During the Renaissance period, the name Sofi gained further recognition when it was associated with the Sofi family, a prominent noble family from Florence. This family was known for their patronage of the arts and their contributions to the cultural and intellectual life of the city.

In the 16th century, the name Sofi appeared in records from the city of Venice, where a prominent artist named Girolamo Sofi was active. He was renowned for his skilled paintings and frescoes, which adorned many churches and palaces in the city.

Another notable individual with the surname Sofi was Cesare Sofi, a celebrated architect from Rome who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale in Rome.

In the 18th century, the name Sofi was associated with the Sofi family from Naples, who were prominent landowners and patrons of the arts. One member of this family, Antonio Sofi (1720-1790), was a renowned sculptor whose works can still be seen in various churches and museums throughout Italy.

As the name Sofi spread beyond Italy, it can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as Spain and France, where it may have been influenced by the arrival of Italian immigrants or cultural exchanges.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sofi

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

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 Sofi was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 55.14% 59
Non-Hispanic Black Only 13.08% 14
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 17.76% 19
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 6.54% 7
Hispanic Origin 7.48% 8

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

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

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"Sofi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 27, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/sofi-surname-popularity/.

"Sofi last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/sofi-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 April, 2025

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

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