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

Warfel, 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 Warfel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Warfel in America

Warfel is the 15015th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Warfel surname appeared 1,967 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 Warfel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Warfel 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 Warfel

The surname Warfel has its roots in the German language and originated in the southwestern region of Germany, specifically in the Palatinate region. Derived from the Middle High German word "war," meaning "true" or "honest," and the suffix "-fel," which denotes a diminutive or a small form, the name Warfel likely signified someone of small stature who was considered truthful or trustworthy.

The earliest recorded instances of the Warfel surname can be traced back to the 16th century in various church records and legal documents from the Palatinate region. One notable reference is found in the Kirchenbuch (church book) of Edenkoben, a town in the modern-day state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where a certain Hans Warfel was mentioned in an entry dated 1582.

As the Warfel family spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Warffel, Wörfel, and Wörffel. These variations were likely influenced by local dialects and scribal interpretations.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Warfel surname throughout history is Johann Georg Warfel (1658-1723), a German Lutheran minister and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. Another prominent figure was Johann Nikolaus Warfel (1742-1801), a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg.

In the 18th century, the Warfel name found its way to the United States, with immigrants from Germany settling in various regions, particularly in Pennsylvania. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Johannes Warfel, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1748.

Other notable individuals with the Warfel surname include Friedrich Warfel (1800-1862), a German-born American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and Henry Randall Warfel (1882-1953), an American author, educator, and literary critic who taught at several universities, including the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Florida.

The Warfel surname, though not among the most common, has left its mark on history, reflecting the migrations and cultural influences of the German-speaking regions from which it originated. Its meaning and variations have been preserved through the centuries, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy of family names.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Warfel

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

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

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

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