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

Emfinger, 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 Emfinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Emfinger in America

Emfinger is the 28362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Emfinger surname appeared 842 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 Emfinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Emfinger 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 Emfinger

The surname Emfinger has its roots in Germany, originating in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "emfangen," which translates to "to receive" or "to grasp." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who worked as a receiver or collector of goods or taxes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Emfinger can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Germany, from 1487. Here, a merchant named Hans Emfinger is listed as having traded in various goods, including textiles and spices. This provides evidence that the name was already in use during this period and may have been associated with commercial activities.

In the 16th century, the name Emfinger began to spread across different regions of Germany. Records from the 1550s mention an Emfinger family residing in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture. This suggests that the name had gained recognition beyond its initial area of origin.

As the Emfinger surname continued to evolve, variations in spelling emerged. In the 17th century, documents from the Palatinate region of Germany reference individuals with the surname spelled as "Emfenger" or "Emfänger." These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and scribal variations in record-keeping.

Notable individuals bearing the Emfinger surname include Johann Emfinger (1632-1701), a respected theologian and professor at the University of Tübingen. Another prominent figure was Friedrich Emfinger (1757-1823), a renowned composer and organist who served as the court musician to the Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg.

In the 19th century, the Emfinger name gained further recognition with the birth of Karl Emfinger (1844-1912), a German-American architect who played a significant role in the development of Chicago's architectural landscape. His most notable work includes the design of the Auditorium Building, a landmark structure in the city.

Another individual of note was Wilhelm Emfinger (1876-1943), a German-born American artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings. His works were widely exhibited and can be found in various museum collections across the United States.

While the Emfinger surname has its roots in Germany, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond through migration. As families settled in new regions, the name continued to evolve and adapt to local linguistic and cultural influences, solidifying its place in history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Emfinger

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

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

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

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