2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Elflein
A surname of German origin potentially denoting a person of small or elfin stature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 159 Americans carry the last name Elflein. That puts it at #128,411 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,155,688 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Elflein 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
159
1 in 2,155,688
Census rank
#128,411
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
139
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 139 bearers of the surname Elflein in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 128411th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Elflein, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Elflein
The surname Elflein originated in Germany, likely emerging in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old German words "elf" meaning "eleven" and "lein" meaning "line" or "row," suggesting a connection to a location or property with eleven lines, rows, or divisions. The name was concentrated initially in southern regions of Germany, particularly around Bavaria and Swabia.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Elflein surname appears in a 14th-century municipal record from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, referring to a resident named Hans Elflein. Another early mention is found in a 1432 land register from Nuremberg, which lists a certain Kunz Elflein as a property owner.
In the 16th century, the Elflein name is associated with a notable family of bakers and millers in the city of Augsburg. Johannes Elflein (1492-1564) was a respected master baker who served as the head of the local bakers' guild. His grandson, Matthäus Elflein (1556-1631), became a renowned miller and inventor of improved milling techniques.
During the 17th century, the Elflein surname spread beyond southern Germany, with records showing bearers in cities like Leipzig and Berlin. One prominent figure was Johann Elflein (1625-1701), a Lutheran theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Leipzig.
In the 18th century, the Elflein name appears in connection with several notable musicians and composers. Johann Friedrich Elflein (1720-1788) was a respected violinist and composer in the court of the Duke of Württemberg, while his son, Johann Christoph Elflein (1755-1828), was a renowned organist and music teacher in Stuttgart.
Another significant bearer of the Elflein name was Johann Gottlieb Elflein (1789-1867), a German inventor and engineer who made important contributions to the development of early steam engines and locomotives. His innovations played a role in the industrialization of Germany in the 19th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Elflein
Among Census respondents with the surname Elflein, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Elflein 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 Elflein surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.1% · 121
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 7
- Two or more races5.0% · 7
- Black or African American1.4% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Elflein
Elflein 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
-9 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,668 places
2020
#128,411
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
+11 bearers (+8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 3,795 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 14,668 places |
| 2020 | #128,411 | 139 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+8.6%) | Up 3,795 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 Elflein 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 | #132,206 | #128,411 | 2.9% |
| Count | 128 | 139 | 8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 16.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Elflein bearers went from 128 to 139 (+8.6% change). The surname moved up 3,795 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #128,411.
FAQ
Elflein surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Elflein?
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the surname Elflein. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,155,688 residents.
How common is Elflein?
Elflein ranks #128,411 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 139 people with the surname Elflein. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (159), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Elflein.
Has Elflein become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Elflein went from 128 recorded bearers to 139. That is an increase of 11 (+8.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #132,206 to #128,411.
What does the Census say about the background of Elflein?
Among Census respondents with the surname Elflein, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Elflein in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.1% (121 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Elflein appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.1%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Elflein (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 Elflein mean?
A surname of German origin potentially denoting a person of small or elfin stature. 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 Elflein (0.05 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 common is the surname Elflein?
See how many people have the last name Elflein on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.