2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Couffer
An Americanized form of the German surname Kupfer meaning copper worker or coppersmith.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Couffer. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Couffer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Couffer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Couffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.0%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Couffer
The surname Couffer is believed to have originated in the northern region of France, likely in the area around Normandy, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "coiffe," which means "cap" or "headdress." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who made or sold caps or headwear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Couffer surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England compiled by order of King William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, including Couffer, Couffre, and Couffier, indicating that it had already begun to spread across the English Channel by that time.
During the 12th century, a notable figure named Geoffroy Couffer was mentioned in historical records as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Rouen, in Normandy. His sons, Pierre and Jacques Couffer, continued the family's legacy in the textile trade and acquired substantial wealth and influence in the region.
In the 14th century, a knight named Sir Robert Couffer was recorded as participating in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. His bravery and skill in battle earned him recognition from King Edward III, who granted him lands and titles in recognition of his service.
Another notable figure with the Couffer surname was Jean Couffer, a Renaissance scholar and humanist who lived in the 16th century. Born in Amiens, France, in 1507, Jean Couffer was renowned for his expertise in classical literature and philosophy. He authored several influential works and taught at prestigious universities across Europe before his death in 1572.
In the 17th century, a French Huguenot family with the surname Couffer fled religious persecution and settled in England. One member of this family, Jacques Couffer, became a successful merchant and was involved in the establishment of the British East India Company.
Throughout history, the Couffer surname has been associated with various occupations, from textile workers and merchants to scholars and military figures. While the name originated in northern France, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with descendants carrying on the legacy of this centuries-old surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Couffer
Among Census respondents with the surname Couffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.0%) and Hispanic (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Couffer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Couffer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.3% · 93
- American Indian and Alaska Native8.0% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 8
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Couffer
Couffer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,312 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-3 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,072 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,312 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 4,072 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Couffer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #143,149 | #147,221 | -2.8% |
| Count | 116 | 113 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Couffer bearers went from 116 to 113 (-2.6% change). The surname moved down 4,072 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #147,221.
FAQ
Couffer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Couffer?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Couffer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Couffer?
Couffer ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Couffer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Couffer.
Has Couffer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Couffer went from 116 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Couffer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Couffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.3%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.0%) and Hispanic (7.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Couffer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.3% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Couffer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (8.0%), Hispanic (7.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Couffer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Couffer mean?
An Americanized form of the German surname Kupfer meaning copper worker or coppersmith. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Couffer (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Couffer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.