Coff last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Coff

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a coastal cliff or headland.

Coff, 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 Coff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coff in America

Coff is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coff surname appeared 170 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 Coff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coff 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 105079 97848 7.13%
Count 170 172 -1.17%
Proportion per 100k 0.06 0.06 0.00%

The history of the last name Coff

The surname COFF has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "coffe," meaning a small container or basket. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade involving baskets or containers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name COFF can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1201, where a Robert Coff is mentioned. This provides evidence that the name was already in use in northern England by the early 13th century.

Another early reference to the COFF surname appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1311, where a John Coff is listed as a landowner. This indicates that the name had spread to other regions of England by the early 14th century.

In the 15th century, the COFF surname is documented in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1476, which mentions a Thomas Coff. This suggests that the name had become well-established in different parts of the country by that time.

One notable individual bearing the COFF surname was Sir John Coff (1460-1523), a merchant and alderman in the City of London during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1518 and was knighted for his services to the Crown.

Another prominent figure was William Coff (1598-1672), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge from 1645 until his death.

In the 17th century, the COFF surname appears in various parish records across England, indicating its continued presence and spread throughout the country. One example is the baptismal record of Margery Coff in the parish of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, in 1632.

In the 18th century, the COFF surname can be found in various legal and administrative records, such as the Land Tax Assessments for Gloucestershire from 1722, which lists a John Coff as a landowner.

One notable individual from this period was Robert Coff (1725-1788), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries passed, the COFF surname continued to be represented in various areas of British society, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in fields such as academia, politics, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coff

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

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 Coff was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 90.00% 153
Non-Hispanic Black Only 5.29% 9
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 3.53% 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 Coff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 90.00% 92.44% -2.67%
Black 5.29% 4.07% 26.07%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 3.53% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Coff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/coff-surname-popularity/.

"Coff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/coff-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 May, 2025

Coff last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/coff-surname-popularity/.

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