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

Tolfa, 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 Tolfa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tolfa in America

Tolfa is the 113155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tolfa surname appeared 155 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 Tolfa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tolfa 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 Tolfa

The surname Tolfa originated in Italy, with its earliest known use dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian town of Tolfa, located in the province of Rome, Lazio region. The name Tolfa itself is thought to stem from the Latin word "tofus," meaning "tufa," a type of porous rock found abundantly in the area.

In the 13th century, records show the name appearing in various forms such as Tolfano, Tolfani, and Tolfacci, indicating its widespread use among families residing in and around the town of Tolfa. The name's association with this specific geographic location suggests a strong connection to the local nobility or landowning families.

One of the earliest documented references to the surname Tolfa can be found in the archives of the Monastery of Santa Maria in Tolfa, where a certain Guido Tolfani is mentioned as a benefactor in 1275. Additionally, the name appears in the Codice Diplomatico Tolfetano, a compilation of historical documents related to the town of Tolfa, dating back to the 11th century.

Among notable historical figures bearing the surname Tolfa, Giovanni Tolfa (1530-1610) was a renowned architect and sculptor from Rome, known for his work on several churches and palaces in the city. Another notable figure was Tommaso Tolfa (1655-1724), a Jesuit priest and philosopher who taught at the Collegio Romano and authored several treatises on logic and metaphysics.

In the 19th century, Giuseppe Tolfa (1810-1892) was a prominent Italian politician who served as a deputy in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy. He was also actively involved in the Risorgimento movement, which aimed to unify the various states of the Italian peninsula.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Antonio Tolfa (1865-1940) made significant contributions to the field of archaeology, particularly through his excavations and studies of ancient Roman sites in the Lazio region.

Furthermore, the name Tolfa has been associated with several place names throughout Italy, such as Tolfaccia, a hamlet in the province of Viterbo, and Tolfetta, a locality in the province of Rome, further reinforcing its historical and geographic roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tolfa

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

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

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

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