Explore the Family Name Bonifacio
The meaning of Bonifacio
Italian, Portuguese (Bonifácio): from the personal name Bonifacio, Bonifácio, from Latin Bonifatius, from bonum ‘good’ + fatum ‘fate, destiny’. In Late Latin -ti- and -ci- came to be pronounced identically; the name was thus often respelled Bonifacius and assigned the meaning ‘doer of good deeds’, derived by folk etymology from Latin facere ‘to do’. The personal name was always more popular in Italy (in its various cognate forms) than elsewhere; the original sense ‘well fated’ remained transparent in Italian, so the name was often bestowed there for the sake of the good omen. See also Boniface. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Andres, Alfredo, Jose, Rodolfo, Altagracia, Ana, Armando, Bienvenida, Carmelita, Catalina, Dionisio, Edgardo. Italian Antonio, Caesar, Dino, Ennio, Filippo, Lorenzo, Romeo, Sal, Tullio.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bonifacio in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bonifacio has seen an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 15,167th most common, but by 2010, it had risen to the 12,597th spot, marking a change of 16.94 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also increased during this period from 1,784 in 2000 to 2,457 in 2010, leading to a significant growth rate of 37.72 percent. This boosted its proportion per 100,000 people from 0.66 in 2000 to 0.83 in 2010, showing a 25.76 percent increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,167 | #12,597 | 16.94% |
| Count | 1,784 | 2,457 | 37.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.66 | 0.83 | 25.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bonifacio
The ethnicity associated with the surname Bonifacio also shifted between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While Asian/Pacific Islander was the dominant ethnic identity in 2000 at 45.07 percent, it slightly decreased to 43.55 percent by 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw an increase, moving from 31.61 percent in 2000 to 38.01 percent in 2010. On the other hand, those identifying as two or more races and White experienced a drop, from 4.32 to 3.30 percent and 18.44 to 14.65 percent respectively. The percentage of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities remained constant with the latter always at zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 45.07% | 43.55% | -3.37% |
| Hispanic | 31.61% | 38.01% | 20.25% |
| White | 18.44% | 14.65% | -20.55% |
| Two or More Races | 4.32% | 3.3% | -23.61% |
| Black | 0.56% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |