2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Detlaff
Germanic occupational surname meaning "one who digs ditches or canals".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Detlaff. 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 Detlaff 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 Detlaff 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 Detlaff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Detlaff
The surname Detlaff originated in Germany, particularly in the regions of Prussia and Pomerania, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German words "diet," meaning "people," and "laff," meaning "remnant" or "survivor." The name likely referred to individuals who were part of a group that had survived a significant event or conflict.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Detlaff can be found in the Prussian chronicles from the 13th century, where it was spelled as "Detleff" or "Detlav." This variation in spelling was common during that era due to the lack of standardized orthography.
In the 14th century, the name Detlaff appeared in several historical records, including the Lubeck City Archives and the Mecklenburg Regesta. These documents mention individuals with the name Detlaff holding various positions, such as merchants, craftsmen, and landowners.
One notable individual with the surname Detlaff was Hans Detlaff, a German merchant and explorer who lived in the late 15th century. He is known for his travels to the Baltic regions and his contributions to early maritime trade.
In the 16th century, the name Detlaff gained prominence in the region of Pomerania, where it was associated with several noble families. One such family was the Detlaff von Arnim, whose members held influential positions in the Prussian government and military.
Another significant figure with the surname Detlaff was Johann Detlaff Brinckmann, a German painter and engraver born in 1670. He is renowned for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes.
During the 18th century, the name Detlaff was found in various records from the German states, including Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria. One notable individual from this period was Friedrich Wilhelm Detlaff, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1720, who wrote extensively on religious and moral topics.
In the 19th century, the surname Detlaff spread beyond Germany, with individuals bearing this name found in other European countries and the United States. One example is Carl Detlaff, a German-American engineer and inventor born in 1832, who contributed significantly to the development of early typewriters and printing machines.
Throughout its history, the surname Detlaff has been associated with various professions, including merchants, artisans, scholars, and military personnel. While its origin and meaning are rooted in the German language, the name has spread across borders and cultures, carrying with it a rich legacy spanning several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Detlaff
Among Census respondents with the surname Detlaff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Detlaff 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 Detlaff surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 104
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.5% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Detlaff
Detlaff 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,325 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,080 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,325 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 3,080 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 Detlaff 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 | #144,141 | #147,221 | -2.1% |
| Count | 115 | 113 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Detlaff bearers went from 115 to 113 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 3,080 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #147,221.
FAQ
Detlaff surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Detlaff?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Detlaff. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Detlaff?
Detlaff 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 Detlaff. 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 Detlaff.
Has Detlaff become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Detlaff went from 115 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Detlaff?
Among Census respondents with the surname Detlaff, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%) and Black (1.8%). 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 Detlaff in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Detlaff appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.5%), Black (1.8%). 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 Detlaff (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 Detlaff mean?
Germanic occupational surname meaning "one who digs ditches or canals". 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 Detlaff (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 Detlaff?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.