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

Tafur, 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 Tafur surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tafur in America

Tafur is the 42094th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tafur surname appeared 516 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 Tafur.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tafur 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 Tafur

The surname Tafur has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "tafur," which means "drummer" or "drummer boy." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who were involved in military bands or performed as drummers.

The earliest recorded reference to the surname Tafur can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 13th-century hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. The book mentions a knight named Gonzalo Martínez Tafur, who served as a huntsman in the royal court.

During the 14th century, the name Tafur gained prominence with the travels of Pero Tafur, a Spanish nobleman and explorer who was born in Córdoba around 1410. He is famous for his travelogue, "Andanças e viajes," which documented his journeys through Europe, the Middle East, and parts of North Africa between 1436 and 1439.

In the 15th century, the Tafur family established itself in the town of Écija, located in the province of Seville. One notable member from this era was Juan Tafur, a renowned physician and scholar who lived from 1455 to 1520. He authored several medical treatises and served as a professor at the University of Seville.

The surname Tafur also has connections to the city of Granada, where a prominent family branch existed during the 16th century. Juan Tafur de la Vega (1505-1572) was a poet and playwright from Granada who gained recognition for his works in the Spanish Golden Age.

Another notable figure bearing the Tafur surname was Diego Tafur, a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in the conquest of Chile in the late 16th century. He was born in Seville around 1540 and played a significant role in the subjugation of the Mapuche people in southern Chile.

Throughout its history, the surname Tafur has maintained a strong presence in Spain, particularly in Andalusia and the southern regions. While its origins can be traced back to the Arabic influence during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula, the name has become deeply rooted in Spanish culture and tradition over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tafur

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

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

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

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