Farfán
A Spanish surname probably linked to an old word for a soldier or cavalryman in service to the Moors.
The #8,135 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 75,766 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname is most likely from an old Spanish term farfán, which the historical sources gloss as a soldier of cavalry serving for pay under the Moors. That points to a name originally connected with military service rather than a place-name or personal characteristic. The exact deeper origin of the word is not fully secure, so the surname is best treated as probably occupational or status-based.
History
The name is documented in Spanish surname discussions from the 19th and early 20th centuries, where it appears alongside other surnames formed from military terms. Over time it became established as a hereditary family name, especially in Spanish-speaking regions. In modern records it is often written with an accent in Spanish as Farfán, though the accent is not always preserved outside Spanish orthography.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The old glossary sense attached to this surname refers not to farming or a place, but to mounted military service in medieval Spain.
From the historical record
“Fano Anticuado, templo, Farfan. El Soldado de caballeria cristiano que servia a sueldo de los moros. Farina. Anticuado, harina. Faro. Terreno alto en que se coloca un farol.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos