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

Tufa, 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 Tufa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tufa in America

Tufa is the 119508th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tufa surname appeared 145 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 Tufa.

The history of the last name Tufa

The surname TUFA originated in Italy, specifically in the region of Lazio around the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "tofus," meaning "tufa stone," a type of porous volcanic rock commonly found in the area.

The earliest known record of the TUFA surname dates back to 1187, when a certain Petrus de Tufa was mentioned in a deed from the town of Tivoli, located near Rome. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a topographic feature related to the tufa stone formations in that area.

In the 13th century, the TUFA family gained prominence in Rome and its surrounding regions. One notable figure was Cardinal Giovanni Battista Tufa, who lived from 1240 to 1292. He served as a papal legate and played a significant role in the negotiations between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.

Another historical reference to the TUFA surname can be found in the 14th century, when a certain Niccolò Tufa was mentioned in the records of the Papal States. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner who contributed to the construction of several churches in Rome.

During the Renaissance period, the TUFA family continued to hold influential positions in various Italian cities. One notable figure was Ardicino della Porta, also known as Ardicino Tufa (1450-1522), a renowned architect and military engineer who worked on the fortifications of several cities, including Siena and Perugia.

In the 16th century, Girolamo Tufa (1510-1580) was a prominent Italian jurist and diplomat who served as a legal advisor to Pope Pius IV. He played a crucial role in the Council of Trent, which addressed the reformation of the Catholic Church.

Throughout history, the TUFA surname has also been associated with other notable individuals, such as the 17th-century painter Giacinto Tufa (1624-1675), known for his religious and mythological works, and the 18th-century architect Nicola Tufa (1730-1800), who designed several notable buildings in Naples.

While the TUFA surname has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient volcanic tufa stone formations in the Italian region of Lazio, where the name first emerged and gained prominence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tufa

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

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 Tufa 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.

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

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

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