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

Buffenbarger, 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 Buffenbarger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buffenbarger in America

Buffenbarger is the 67519th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buffenbarger surname appeared 292 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 Buffenbarger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buffenbarger 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 Buffenbarger

The surname Buffenbarger is believed to have originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the German words "Buffen" meaning "to beat" or "to strike," and "Barger" which referred to a type of craftsman or artisan who worked with leather or hides. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to a tanner or leather worker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a registry of landowners in the town of Butzbach, near Frankfurt, dating back to the 15th century. Here, the name appears as "Buffenbargher," which lends credence to the theory of its German origins.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various documents across different regions of Germany, with slight variations in spelling such as "Buffenbarger," "Buffenbärger," and "Buffenbärgher." This was a common occurrence during this time period, as standardized spelling had not yet been established.

One notable individual bearing this surname was Hans Buffenbarger, a master tanner who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 1500s. Records show that he owned a successful tannery and was a respected member of the local guild.

In the 17th century, the name began to spread beyond Germany as some Buffenbargers immigrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One such individual was Johannes Buffenbarger, who was born in Bavaria in 1642 and later settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s.

Another significant figure was Johann Buffenbarger, a German military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). He was born in Saxony in 1612 and rose to the rank of Colonel in the Imperial Army.

As the name continued to spread and evolve, variations in spelling became more common. In the 19th century, records show instances of the name being spelled as "Buffenbarge," "Buffenbargor," and even "Buffenburger" in some regions.

One notable individual from this time period was Friedrich Buffenbarger, a German-American author and journalist who was born in Saxony in 1825 and later immigrated to the United States, where he became a prominent figure in the German-American community.

Throughout its history, the surname Buffenbarger has maintained a relatively strong presence in Germany and among German-American communities, though it has also been found in other parts of Europe and the Americas. While not an extremely common name, it has persisted over the centuries, reflecting its unique origins and the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buffenbarger

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

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

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

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