Explore the Family Name Parfait
The meaning of Parfait
French and West Indian (Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe): nickname from Old French parfit, French parfait ‘complete(d)’, from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere ‘to finish or accomplish’ (see English Parfitt); or from a French form of the Latin personal name Perfectus, of the same meaning. In the US, this surname is most common among Native Americans, namely the Houma tribe in LA. It is also found in Haiti. Some characteristic forenames: French Germaine, Homere, Jacques.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Parfait in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Parfait has seen a notable increase in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, it ranked 25,735 in terms of frequency, but by 2010 it had risen to 22,906 -- a growth rate of approximately 10.99 percent. The actual count of individuals with this surname also expanded during this period, from 899 people in 2000 to 1,117 people in 2010, representing a substantial increase of 24.25 percent. Accordingly, the proportion of individuals named Parfait per 100,000 people in the U.S. population increased by 15.15 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,735 | #22,906 | 10.99% |
| Count | 899 | 1,117 | 24.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.33 | 0.38 | 15.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Parfait
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Parfait, again using data from the Decennial U.S. Census, certain shifts can be observed between 2000 and 2010. Notably, there was a significant increase in the proportion of individuals identifying as Black, from 11.35 percent to 14.50 percent. Conversely, the percentage of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic ethnicity dropped to zero. People identifying as having two or more ethnic identities decreased by nearly a quarter, from 5.12 percent to 3.85 percent. There was a slight decrease in the percentage of individuals who identified as White or American Indian and Alaskan Native. It's important to note that all these percentages represent the distribution of ethnicities within those carrying the Parfait surname, not their distribution within the general population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 45.38% | 44.23% | -2.53% |
| White | 35.15% | 34.65% | -1.42% |
| Black | 11.35% | 14.5% | 27.75% |
| Two or More Races | 5.12% | 3.85% | -24.8% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.78% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 2.22% | 0% | 0% |