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

Erfe, 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 Erfe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Erfe in America

Erfe is the 89069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Erfe surname appeared 208 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 Erfe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Erfe 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 Erfe

The surname "ERFE" is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "erve," which means "inheritance" or "property." This suggests that the name was initially used to refer to someone who had inherited or owned a significant amount of land or property.

In the early records, the name appears with various spellings, such as "Erven," "Erben," and "Erfe." One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the German chronicles of the 13th century, where a nobleman named Heinrich Erfe is mentioned as a landowner in the Rhineland region.

During the 14th century, the name appears in several documents related to land transactions and property disputes in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable example is the case of Hans Erfe, a wealthy merchant from Nuremberg, who was involved in a legal dispute over the ownership of a vineyard in the year 1367.

In the 15th century, the name gained prominence in the city of Augsburg, where a family of goldsmiths and jewelers bearing the surname Erfe established a successful business. Their craftsmanship and artistic creations were highly sought after by the nobility and clergy of the time.

One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Erfe was Johannes Erfe (1492-1554), a German humanist scholar and poet. He was widely acclaimed for his Latin translations of Greek philosophical works and his contributions to the Renaissance literary movement.

Another notable figure was Margaretha Erfe (1573-1642), a German botanist and herbalist who authored one of the earliest comprehensive works on medicinal plants and their applications in traditional medicine.

In the 17th century, the name Erfe appeared in various records related to the Protestant Reformation in Germany. Hans Erfe (1610-1678) was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who played a significant role in the religious debates of his time.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several members of the Erfe family were involved in various industries, including textile manufacturing, mining, and engineering. One prominent example is Carl Erfe (1785-1852), a pioneering engineer who contributed to the development of early steam engines and industrial machinery.

Throughout its history, the surname Erfe has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from landowners and artisans to scholars and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Erfe

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

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

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

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