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

Tefft, 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 Tefft surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tefft in America

Tefft is the 14478th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tefft surname appeared 2,062 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tefft.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tefft 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 Tefft

The surname Tefft is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "toft," which referred to a homestead or a parcel of land adjacent to a house. The name likely emerged in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the Tefft surname can be traced back to the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia, England. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for individuals who lived on or near a homestead or a small village.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, there are several references to places with names derived from the word "toft," such as Toftrees and Tofthouse. However, the specific surname Tefft is not mentioned in this historical document.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Tefft surname was William Tefft, who lived in Norfolk, England, in the late 13th century. Another notable individual was John Tefft, born around 1420 in Suffolk, who was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Tefft began to spread beyond East Anglia, with families bearing the name settling in other parts of England, such as Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. In the 17th century, a branch of the Tefft family emigrated to the American colonies, establishing roots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Tefft throughout history are:

1. Thomas Tefft (1610-1675), one of the earliest settlers in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and a prominent figure in the colonial government.
2. Benjamin Tefft (1725-1789), a farmer and landowner in Smithfield, Rhode Island, who served in the American Revolutionary War.
3. Josiah Tefft (1778-1843), a Baptist minister and educator in New York, who founded the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution (now Colgate University).
4. Mary Tefft (1822-1895), an American educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and the abolition of slavery.
5. Wilbur Fisk Tefft (1852-1934), a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Kansas City, Missouri, who contributed to the development of the city's infrastructure and cultural institutions.

While the Tefft surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with families bearing the name found in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tefft

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

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

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

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