Explore the Family Name Garfinkel
The meaning of Garfinkel
Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name or nickname from Yiddish gorfinkl ‘carbuncle’, German Karfunkel. This term denoted both a red precious or semi-precious stone, especially a garnet or ruby cut into a rounded shape (in which case it is an artificial name), and a large inflamed growth on the skin like a large boil (in which case it is a descriptive nickname). Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Chaim, Dov, Yair, Abbe, Avrohom, Chana, Ilan, Pesach, Pincus.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Garfinkel in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Garfinkel saw slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname slipped from 17,014 to 17,193, indicating a decrease in popularity by 1.05%. Despite this, the count of individuals with this surname actually increased by 7.02%, from 1,539 in 2000 to 1,647 in 2010. However, when adjusted for population growth, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people fell slightly by 1.75%, from 0.57 to 0.56.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,014 | #17,193 | -1.05% |
| Count | 1,539 | 1,647 | 7.02% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.57 | 0.56 | -1.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Garfinkel
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates certain shifts among those with the surname Garfinkel. In 2000, the majority of Garfinkels identified as White (96.95%), but this percentage decreased to 95.26% by 2010. Simultaneously, there was an increase in the number of Garfinkels identifying as Hispanic, from 1.56% to 2.91%. Likewise, the proportion of Garfinkels identifying with two or more races also rose from 0.91% to 1.09%. Interestingly, there was a new appearance of Asian/Pacific Islander identification among Garfinkels in 2010, while the Black identity disappeared. The categories of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained stagnant at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.95% | 95.26% | -1.74% |
| Hispanic | 1.56% | 2.91% | 86.54% |
| Two or More Races | 0.91% | 1.09% | 19.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.49% | 0% |
| Black | 0.32% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |