Find out how popular the last name Warfe is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Warfe.
A surname derived from the Old English word "wearf" meaning a sandbank or land reclaimed from the sea.
Warfe, 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 Warfe surname is from the 2010 census data.
Warfe is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Warfe surname appeared 101 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 Warfe.
The surname Warfe is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "wurf," which means a sandbank or a raised bank of earth. This suggests that the name may have been initially taken on by someone who lived near a sandbank or raised earthen bank.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Warfe can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wurfe." This entry suggests that the name had already been established in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name Warfe was found in various records from the county of Lincolnshire, particularly in the areas around the town of Boston. This could indicate that the name had roots in this region, possibly tied to local geographical features or settlements.
One notable bearer of the surname Warfe was John Warfe, a merchant and member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in Boston, Lincolnshire, who lived in the late 14th century. His prominence in the local community suggests that the Warfe family may have held some social standing at the time.
Another early example of the name can be found in the records of the Lincolnshire village of Saltfleetby, where a Walter Warfe is mentioned in the 15th century. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and the Lincolnshire region.
In the 16th century, the surname Warfe appeared in various forms, such as "Warff" and "Warffe," reflecting the varying spellings common during that period. One notable individual from this time was Thomas Warfe, born in 1542 in Nottinghamshire, who served as a member of the local militia.
By the 17th century, the surname Warfe had spread to other parts of England, including the county of Yorkshire. Records from this period mention a John Warfe, born in 1612 in the village of Willerby, near Hull. He was a landowner and farmer, indicating the family's continued rural ties.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Warfe has maintained a relatively low prevalence, potentially due to its localized origins. However, it has persisted as a distinct family name, carrying with it the echoes of its ancient English roots and the geographical features that may have inspired its creation.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Warfe.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Warfe was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 92.08% | 93 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 4.95% | 5 |
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.
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 Warfe was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/warfe-surname-popularity/">Warfe last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Warfe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 4, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/warfe-surname-popularity/.
"Warfe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/warfe-surname-popularity/. Accessed 4 June, 2025
Warfe last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/warfe-surname-popularity/.
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