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

Staffa, 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 Staffa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Staffa in America

Staffa is the 50771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Staffa surname appeared 411 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 Staffa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Staffa 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 Staffa

The surname STAFFA has its origins in Italy, tracing back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "staffa," which means "stirrup" in English. This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations or trades related to horseback riding or equestrian activities.

The earliest known records of the STAFFA surname can be found in historical documents from the regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. In the late 13th century, a family by the name of Staffa was mentioned in a land registry in the town of Prato, near Florence. This document indicates that the family owned a modest estate and likely practiced agriculture or horse breeding.

By the 15th century, the STAFFA surname had spread to other parts of Italy, particularly in the northern regions. In 1482, a nobleman named Giovanni Staffa was recorded in the archives of the city of Genoa, where he held a prominent position in the local government.

One of the earliest known bearers of the STAFFA surname was Bartolomeo Staffa, a renowned architect and sculptor from Siena, who lived between 1487 and 1562. His most notable work is the beautiful Chapel of the Votive Frescoes in the Siena Cathedral, which he designed and constructed in the early 16th century.

Another notable figure with the STAFFA surname was Antonio Staffa, a prominent lawyer and legal scholar from Bologna, who lived from 1545 to 1623. He was the author of several influential treatises on civil law and served as a judge in the Papal States.

In the 18th century, a branch of the STAFFA family settled in the Kingdom of Naples, where they established themselves as successful merchants and traders. One member of this family, Giuseppe Staffa (1738-1819), was a wealthy businessman who owned several ships and trading companies.

Throughout the centuries, the STAFFA surname has also been associated with various place names in Italy, such as Staffa di Rocca San Felice in the province of Avellino, and Staffa di Mirabella Eclano in the province of Benevento. These place names likely derive from the Italian word "staffa" or its variations, suggesting a connection to the surname's origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Staffa

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

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

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

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