Explore the Family Name Safran
The meaning of Safran
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic); Hungarian (Sáfrán); Croatian and Slovenian (Šafran); Czech and Slovak (Šafran and Šafrán): from Middle High German saffrān, German Safran, Hungarian sáfrány, Slavic šafran (standard Slovenian is žafran; see below) ‘saffron’, a bright yellow spice and colorant derived from the stigmas of a crocus, hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer or a nickname for someone with reddish-yellow hair. The word is ultimately derived from Arabic zaʿfarān. The Jewish name is mainly artificial. 2. Americanized form of Polish Szafran and Slovenian Žafran: from Polish szafran, Slovenian žafran ‘saffron’, words of the same ultimately Arabic origin as above. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Eliyahu, Hersh, Hyman, Mayer, Nadav, Zev.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Safran in the United States?
The popularity of the surname "Safran" has slightly decreased over a decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, Safran was ranked the 24,306th most popular surname in the United States, but by 2010 it slipped to 24,961st. This is a change of -2.69%. Despite this decline in rank, the count of people carrying the Safran name increased from 966 in 2000 to 996 in 2010, which reflects a growth of 3.11%. However, when measured as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the Safran surname dipped slightly from 0.36 in 2000 to 0.34 in 2010, indicating a relative decrease of -5.56%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,306 | #24,961 | -2.69% |
| Count | 966 | 996 | 3.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.36 | 0.34 | -5.56% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Safran
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Safran" also experienced shifts between 2000 and 2010 as indicated by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of those with the Safran surname identify as White, accounting for 97.31% in 2000 and 95.98% in 2010, with a slight decrease of -1.37%. The representation of Hispanic individuals among those bearing the Safran name significantly increased during this period, growing from 0.83% to 2.01%, a change of 142.17%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Safrans identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander dropped from 0.83% to zero, and those identifying as Black emerged from zero to 0.70%. The proportions of American Indian and Alaskan Native, and those identifying with two or more races remained relatively stable, with the latter seeing a small decrease from 0.72% to 0.60%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.31% | 95.98% | -1.37% |
| Hispanic | 0.83% | 2.01% | 142.17% |
| Black | 0% | 0.7% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.72% | 0.6% | -16.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |