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

Colhoff, 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 Colhoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Colhoff in America

Colhoff is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Colhoff surname appeared 120 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 Colhoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Colhoff 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 Colhoff

The surname Colhoff is of German origin, first appearing in records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the town of Kolbenhoff, located in the northern region of Germany, near the border with Denmark. The name is derived from the Old German words 'kolt' meaning 'charcoal' and 'hoff' meaning 'dwelling' or 'courtyard', suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name were likely charcoal burners or lived in an area associated with charcoal production.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Colhoff surname can be found in the parish records of St. Peter's Church in Kolbenhoff, where a man named Hans Colhoff was listed as a tenant farmer in 1532. Another early reference is found in the Prussian military records from the late 16th century, where a soldier named Christoph Colhoff is mentioned as serving in the army of the Elector of Brandenburg.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Colhoff name began to spread beyond its original region as families migrated to other parts of Germany and neighboring countries. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Colhoff (1612-1688), a renowned clockmaker from Nuremberg, and Katharina Colhoff (1738-1805), a midwife from the town of Mertendorf, who was recognized for her exceptional service to the community.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in Europe, many Colhoffs left their rural homeland seeking new opportunities in urban areas. One such individual was Wilhelm Colhoff (1822-1899), a successful businessman and entrepreneur who established a thriving textile factory in Berlin. His son, Friedrich Colhoff (1854-1928), went on to become a prominent architect and designed several notable buildings in the city.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, members of the Colhoff family also emigrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable figure was Hans Colhoff (1876-1945), a German-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Panama Canal before settling in New York City.

Throughout its history, the Colhoff surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Germany, with many families continuing to reside in the areas where the name first originated. While the name may have evolved slightly in its spelling over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the charcoal-burning communities of northern Germany in the medieval era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Colhoff

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

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

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

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