Goffner last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Goffner

An Americanized spelling of the German surname Göffner or Göfner, meaning someone from the village of Goffraten.

Goffner, 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 Goffner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goffner in America

Goffner is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goffner surname appeared 118 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 Goffner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Goffner 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 141140 139757 0.98%
Count 118 110 7.02%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Goffner

The surname GOFFNER is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in the regions of modern-day Germany. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "gauf," which referred to a district or region, suggesting that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals from a specific locality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GOFFNER can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. This suggests that the name was already in use during this period, potentially as a designation for individuals hailing from a particular area or village.

During the 13th century, the name GOFFNER appeared in various records and manuscripts throughout Germany, often associated with landowners, merchants, and craftsmen. The variant spellings "Gofner" and "Goffener" were also commonly used during this time, reflecting the regional variations in language and pronunciation.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname GOFFNER was Johannes Goffner, a Protestant theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the spread of Lutheran teachings in the region of Saxony. Born in 1501, Goffner was a prominent figure in the religious and intellectual circles of his time.

Another historical figure of note was Wilhelm Goffner, a German artist and painter who lived during the 17th century. Born in 1632, Goffner is renowned for his intricate landscape paintings and his contributions to the Baroque art movement in Germany.

During the 18th century, the name GOFFNER was associated with several notable scholars and academics. One such individual was Friedrich Goffner, a renowned linguist and philologist born in 1746 in the town of Göttingen. His work on the origins and evolution of Germanic languages earned him widespread recognition within academic circles.

In the 19th century, the GOFFNER surname was carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, artisans, and professionals. One notable figure was Karl Goffner, a successful businessman and industrialist born in 1822 in the city of Berlin. Goffner's entrepreneurial ventures played a significant role in the economic development of the region during the era of industrialization.

Throughout its history, the surname GOFFNER has been associated with various places and localities within Germany, reflecting the diverse origins and migrations of families bearing this name. While the name has evolved and spread to other regions over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goffner

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

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 Goffner was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 11.02% 13
Non-Hispanic Black Only 87.29% 103
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Goffner has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 11.02% 13.64% -21.25%
Black 87.29% 85.45% 2.13%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Goffner last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/goffner-surname-popularity/.

"Goffner last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/goffner-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Goffner last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/goffner-surname-popularity/.

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