Find out how popular the last name Boffman is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Boffman.

Boffman, 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 Boffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boffman in America

Boffman is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boffman surname appeared 104 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 Boffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boffman 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.

The history of the last name Boffman

The surname Boffman has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "boffen," which means "to bark" or "to howl." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname for someone who had a loud or harsh voice, perhaps akin to a barking dog.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boffman name can be found in the town records of Heidelberg, where a certain Hans Boffman was listed as a resident in 1487. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

In the 16th century, the Boffman family spread beyond Germany, with some members settling in neighboring countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands. One notable figure from this era was Pieter Boffman, a Dutch merchant who lived in Amsterdam from 1521 to 1598.

As the Boffman name continued to spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Boffmann, Boffmanne, and Boffmans. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal traditions.

By the 17th century, the Boffman name had become well-established in parts of England, where it was sometimes anglicized to Boffman or Boughman. One notable Englishman with this surname was Sir John Boffman, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1673.

Another significant figure in the history of the Boffman name was Johann Boffman, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1676 to 1744. His writings on ethics and natural law had a profound influence on the intellectual discourse of his time.

In the 18th century, the Boffman name continued to spread across Europe and beyond. One notable example is Hans Boffman, a German-born explorer who was among the first Europeans to map parts of the Pacific Northwest region of North America in the 1770s.

As the centuries passed, the Boffman name continued to be borne by individuals of various professions and backgrounds, from artists and musicians to scientists and politicians. While the name may have originated as a humble nickname, it has since become a respected surname with a rich and diverse history spanning multiple continents and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boffman

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Boffman.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Boffman was:

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 Boffman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Boffman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Boffman, please contact us.

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