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

Eff, 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 Eff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Eff in America

Eff is the 123064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Eff surname appeared 140 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 Eff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Eff 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 Eff

The surname "Eff" is believed to have originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the regions that are now part of modern-day Germany and Switzerland. The name can be traced back to the Middle High German word "eff," which meant "border" or "boundary."

The earliest known record of the surname "Eff" dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various medieval documents and records from the region. It is possible that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near a border or boundary, or who were involved in the management or defense of such areas.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "Eff" was Johannes Eff, a merchant who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Hans Eff, a German soldier who fought in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname "Eff" started to appear in various regions of Europe, including the Netherlands and parts of modern-day France and Belgium. This was likely due to the migration of German-speaking populations during that period.

One notable individual with the surname "Eff" from this era was Willem Eff, a Dutch painter who lived in the late 16th century and was known for his landscape paintings. Another was Johann Eff, a German composer and organist who lived in the early 17th century and is considered one of the pioneers of the Baroque music period.

As the centuries passed, the surname "Eff" continued to spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, where many descendants of German and Swiss immigrants settled.

Some other notable individuals with the surname "Eff" throughout history include Friedrich Eff (1776-1845), a German philosopher and writer; Hans Eff (1890-1965), an Austrian architect and urban planner; and Gertrude Eff (1892-1975), a German-American sculptor and artist.

While the surname "Eff" may not be as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries, reflecting the diverse and interesting origins of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Eff

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

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

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

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