Find out how popular the last name Alff is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alff.
A German surname derived from the old German word "alf" meaning "elf".
Alff, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alff surname is from the 2010 census data.
Alff is the 81181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Alff surname appeared 233 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alff.
We can also compare 2010 data for Alff to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 81181 | 75466 | 7.30% |
| Count | 233 | 238 | -2.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.09 | -11.76% |
The surname ALFF has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "alf," which referred to a supernatural being or elf. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was considered mischievous or playful.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALFF can be found in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the northern part of Bavaria, Germany. In a document dated 1524, a certain Johannes Alff is mentioned as a resident of the town. This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence during the Renaissance period.
Another notable early reference to the ALFF surname can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the village of Biedenkopf, located in the state of Hesse, Germany. These records, dating back to the late 16th century, mention several individuals with the ALFF surname, indicating that the name was well-established in this region.
During the 17th century, the ALFF surname appeared in various other parts of Germany, particularly in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. One notable individual from this time was Johann Michael Alff (1629-1687), a Lutheran theologian and author who served as a pastor in the town of Weinheim.
In the 18th century, the ALFF surname gained prominence with the birth of Johann Christian Alff (1746-1819), a German composer and organist who was renowned for his works in the classical style. He was born in the town of Idstein, located in the state of Hesse, and his compositions were widely performed and appreciated during his lifetime.
Another notable figure from the 19th century was Carl Alff (1857-1934), a German entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Alff Manufacturing Company in the city of Wuppertal. His company played a significant role in the production of textile machinery and contributed to the region's industrial development.
As the name spread across Germany and Europe, variations in spelling also emerged, such as Alf, Alff, and Alffe. Some of these variations can be attributed to regional dialects and language differences, while others may have resulted from transcription errors or personal preferences.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alff.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alff was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 97.42% | 227 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 0.00% | 0 |
| Hispanic Origin | 2.58% | 6 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.42% | 97.48% | -0.06% |
| Black | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Two or More Races | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 2.58% | (S)% | (S)% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Alff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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