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

Coffman, 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 Coffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Coffman in America

Coffman is the 1421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Coffman surname appeared 24,980 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Coffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Coffman 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 Coffman

The surname Coffman has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the late 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Koffe", which means a chest or trunk. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who made or repaired chests or trunks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Marbach am Neckar, a town located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In 1596, a man named Hans Coffman was documented as living in the town.

As the name spread, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Koffman, Coffmann, and Kaufmann. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Coffman was Johann Coffman, a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century. He was among the first Coffmans to arrive in the American colonies and is considered one of the progenitors of the Coffman family in the United States.

Another early Coffman of note was Johann Michael Coffman, who was born in 1717 in Württemberg, Germany. He emigrated to America in 1749 and settled in Virginia, where he became a prominent landowner and farmer.

In England, the Coffman surname can be traced back to the 17th century, with records showing a William Coffman living in Nottinghamshire in 1642. It is believed that the English Coffmans were descendants of German immigrants who brought the name with them.

One of the most famous individuals with the Coffman surname was Victor Coffman, an American artist and illustrator who was born in 1888 and died in 1964. He was known for his illustrations in magazines and books, particularly his work for The Saturday Evening Post.

Another notable Coffman was Rexford Coffman, born in 1892 and died in 1957. He was an American artist and illustrator who worked for various magazines and publishing houses, including The Ladies' Home Journal and Harper's Bazaar.

While the surname Coffman is not as common as some others, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and multiple countries. Its origins as an occupational name in Germany have evolved into a surname carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Coffman

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

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

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

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