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

Buffman, 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 Buffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buffman in America

Buffman is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buffman surname appeared 107 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 Buffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buffman 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 Buffman

The surname Buffman is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest known references dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "buffen," meaning to strike or beat, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a soldier or a blacksmith.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 1542 document from the town of Augsburg, which mentions a certain Hans Buffman who was a member of the local guild of metalworkers. It's possible that this individual or his ancestors adopted the surname as a way of identifying their occupation.

In the 17th century, the Buffman name can be found in various records from the German states of Bavaria and Saxony. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Buffmann" or "Buffmann," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

As the Buffman family spread across Germany and neighboring regions, some members began to settle in other parts of Europe. In the late 18th century, a branch of the family relocated to the Netherlands, where the name was adapted to the Dutch spelling "Bufman."

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Buffman was Johann Friedrich Buffman (1692-1764), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen. His works included treatises on natural law and the existence of God.

Another prominent figure was Carl August Buffman (1784-1868), a German composer and conductor who wrote several operas and choral works that were popular in his time.

In the 19th century, the Buffman name made its way across the Atlantic, with several families immigrating to the United States and Canada. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in North America is that of Wilhelm Buffman (1812-1887), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and worked as a farmer.

During the same period, a branch of the Buffman family established itself in England, where the name was sometimes anglicized to "Buffman" or "Buffman." One notable English Buffman was Sir Henry Buffman (1828-1912), a businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry.

While not as widely distributed as some other German surnames, the Buffman name has left its mark in various parts of the world, thanks to the migrations and achievements of its bearers over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buffman

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

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

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

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