2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Trofa
An Italian surname derived from the name of a town near Milan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Trofa. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Trofa 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Trofa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Trofa, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Black (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Trofa
The surname "TROFA" is believed to have originated in Portugal, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is thought to be derived from the Portuguese word "trofa," which translates to "a bundle" or "a package." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to an occupation or trade involving the transportation or handling of goods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "TROFA" can be found in the "Livro de Linhagens" (Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical manuscript dated back to the 13th century. This document contains references to individuals bearing this surname, indicating its presence in the region during that time.
In the 15th century, historical records mention a notable figure named João Trofa, a merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic development of the city of Porto. His name appears in various legal documents and property records, further solidifying the presence of the "TROFA" surname in northern Portugal.
During the Age of Exploration in the 16th century, the "TROFA" surname extended its reach as Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to different parts of the world. Notable individuals from this era include Pedro Trofa, a navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan's expedition to the Spice Islands in the early 1500s.
The 17th century saw the emergence of a prominent noble family bearing the "TROFA" surname in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. This lineage produced several influential figures, including Diogo Trofa, a military commander who distinguished himself in the Portuguese Restoration War against Spain in the mid-1600s.
As the centuries progressed, the "TROFA" surname continued to spread and evolve, with various notable individuals emerging across different fields. One such figure was Manuel Trofa, a renowned architect from the 18th century who designed several iconic buildings in Lisbon, including the Church of São Roque.
In the 19th century, the literary world witnessed the works of the celebrated Portuguese writer and poet, José Trofa, whose poetic masterpieces garnered critical acclaim and contributed significantly to the cultural heritage of Portugal.
While the surname "TROFA" has its roots firmly planted in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals who have emigrated or descended from Portuguese ancestry. The name has left an indelible mark on various aspects of history, from trade and exploration to literature and architecture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Trofa
Among Census respondents with the surname Trofa, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Black (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Trofa 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 Trofa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino6.8% · 7
- Black or African American3.9% · 4
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Trofa
Trofa appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+8 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,124 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,730 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.9%) | Down 1,124 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 3,730 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 Trofa 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 | #150,452 | #154,182 | -2.5% |
| Count | 109 | 103 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Trofa bearers went from 109 to 103 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 3,730 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,182.
FAQ
Trofa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Trofa?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Trofa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Trofa?
Trofa ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Trofa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Trofa.
Has Trofa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Trofa went from 109 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Trofa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Trofa, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.8%) and Black (3.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Trofa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Trofa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Hispanic (6.8%), Black (3.9%). 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 Trofa (2000, 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 Trofa mean?
An Italian surname derived from the name of a town near Milan. 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 Trofa (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Trofa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.