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

Spatafora, 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 Spatafora surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Spatafora in America

Spatafora is the 45412th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Spatafora surname appeared 471 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 Spatafora.

We can also compare 2010 data for Spatafora 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 Spatafora

The surname Spatafora has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Sicily. It emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Italian words "spata" meaning sword and "fora" meaning outside or beyond, suggesting a possible connection to a location or residence situated outside of a fortified area or near sword makers.

Historical records indicate that the Spatafora family was among the noble families of Sicily during the Middle Ages. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a document from the 12th century, which mentions a certain Guglielmo Spatafora, a nobleman from the town of Palermo.

In the 14th century, the name Spatafora appeared in the Sicilian town of Termini Imerese, where a branch of the family established itself. This branch produced several notable individuals, including Nicolò Spatafora, who was a prominent jurist and politician in the late 15th century.

During the Renaissance, the Spatafora family gained further prominence, with members serving in various roles within the Sicilian nobility. One such figure was Antonio Spatafora, who lived in the 16th century and was a renowned poet and scholar.

The name Spatafora can also be found in historical records from other parts of Italy, indicating that the family may have spread beyond Sicily over time. For instance, in the 17th century, there was a prominent architect named Francesco Spatafora who worked in Rome and left a lasting impact on the city's architectural landscape.

Another notable figure bearing the Spatafora surname was Giuseppe Spatafora, an Italian patriot and revolutionary who lived in the 19th century. He played a significant role in the Risorgimento movement, which ultimately led to the unification of Italy.

As the centuries passed, the Spatafora name continued to appear in various regions of Italy, with individuals from this family making contributions in fields such as politics, law, literature, and the arts. While the name may have evolved slightly in its spelling or pronunciation over time, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Sicily.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Spatafora

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

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

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

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