2010
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Tafari
An Ethiopian surname derived from the Amharic "Tafari", meaning one who is revered or respected.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 187 Americans carry the last name Tafari. That puts it at #114,090 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,832,911 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tafari surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
187
1 in 1,832,911
Census rank
#114,090
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
163
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 163 bearers of the surname Tafari in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 114090th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tafari, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tafari
The surname Tafari is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, a country located in the Horn of Africa. It emerged during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when Ethiopia was undergoing significant cultural and political changes.
The name Tafari is derived from the Amharic language, which is one of the major languages spoken in Ethiopia. It is thought to have roots in the phrase "Tafarra Makwannan," which translates to "one who is respected or revered." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to denote individuals of high social standing or those who held positions of authority.
Historical records indicate that the earliest known person to bear the surname Tafari was Ras Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), who later became known as Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. Born in the city of Ejersa Goro, Ras Tafari Makonnen rose to prominence as a member of the Solomonic dynasty and played a crucial role in the modernization of Ethiopia.
Another notable figure with the surname Tafari was Woizero Zauditu (1876-1930), who served as the Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 1930. She was the daughter of Emperor Menelik II and the aunt of Ras Tafari Makonnen, who later succeeded her to the throne.
The surname Tafari also appears in the historical records of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. One such mention is found in the writings of Abba Samuel, a prominent Ethiopian monk and scholar from the 17th century, who referred to a monk named Tafari in his works.
In the 18th century, there was a notable figure named Dejazmach Tafari Goshu, who was a governor in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. He played a significant role in the political affairs of the region during his time.
Another individual with the surname Tafari who left a mark on history was Lij Tafari Makonnen (1884-1933), a relative of Emperor Haile Selassie I and a prominent figure in the Ethiopian nobility. He served as a governor in various provinces and was known for his efforts in modernizing the administrative systems of the regions under his governance.
While the surname Tafari is most closely associated with Ethiopia, it is important to note that due to historical migrations and diasporas, individuals bearing this name may now reside in various parts of the world. However, the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the rich cultural and historical heritage of Ethiopia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tafari
Among Census respondents with the surname Tafari, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Tafari bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Tafari surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American79.1% · 129
- White14.1% · 23
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 7
- Two or more races2.5% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tafari
Tafari appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#114,090
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
+27 bearers (+19.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 11,928 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #114,090 | 163 | 0.05 | +27 bearers (+19.9%) | Up 11,928 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Tafari surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #126,018 | #114,090 | 9.5% |
| Count | 136 | 163 | 19.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tafari bearers went from 136 to 163 (+19.9% change). The surname moved up 11,928 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #114,090.
FAQ
Tafari surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tafari?
Name Census estimates that about 187 living Americans carry the surname Tafari. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,832,911 residents.
How common is Tafari?
Tafari ranks #114,090 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 163 people with the surname Tafari. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (187), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Tafari.
Has Tafari become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tafari went from 136 recorded bearers to 163. That is an increase of 27 (+19.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #126,018 to #114,090.
What does the Census say about the background of Tafari?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tafari, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.1%. The next largest groups are White (14.1%) and Hispanic (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tafari in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.1% (129 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tafari appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (79.1%), White (14.1%), Hispanic (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Tafari (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Tafari mean?
An Ethiopian surname derived from the Amharic "Tafari", meaning one who is revered or respected. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Tafari (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Tafari?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Tafari is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.