2000
#2,445
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,558
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.03
Uncommon Last name
Graf
A German occupational surname referring to a count, earl, or a high-ranking nobleman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,817 Americans carry the last name Graf. That puts it at #2,719 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,133 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Graf 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Graf with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,133
Census rank
#2,719
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,921 bearers of the surname Graf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2719th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Graf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Graf
The surname GRAF originated in Germany and has its roots in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Graf," which means "count" or "earl." This name was initially given to individuals who held a position of nobility or high rank within the feudal system.
In the early medieval period, the term "Graf" referred to a high-ranking official who oversaw a county or territory on behalf of a sovereign. These Grafs wielded considerable power and influence within their respective domains. The name likely emerged as a way to identify individuals associated with this esteemed position.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GRAF can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony. This codex, which dates back to the 12th century, mentions several individuals bearing the name GRAF, indicating its widespread use during that time.
The name GRAF also appears in various historical records and manuscripts throughout the centuries. For example, in the 14th century, a certain Heinrich GRAF is mentioned in the Annales Guelpherbytani, a chronicle of events in the Brunswick region.
Among the notable individuals bearing the surname GRAF throughout history are:
1. Andreas GRAF (1630-1701), a German composer and organist known for his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude.
2. Johann GRAF (1684-1750), a Swiss mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of optics and the nature of light.
3. Johann Heinrich GRAF (1786-1876), a German writer and philosopher known for his works on ethics and aesthetics.
4. Arturo GRAF (1848-1913), an Italian poet, literary critic, and scholar who played a significant role in the development of Italian literature.
5. Max GRAF (1873-1958), a Swiss writer and academic who specialized in the study of classical literature and philosophy.
The surname GRAF is still prevalent in German-speaking countries, as well as in regions where German immigrants settled. It has also been subject to various spellings and variations over time, such as Graff, Grafe, and Gräf, reflecting regional variations and linguistic adaptations.
While the name GRAF may have lost some of its direct association with nobility in modern times, it continues to carry a sense of prestige and historical significance, serving as a testament to its rich heritage and the influential role its bearers played in shaping the course of history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Graf
Among Census respondents with the surname Graf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Graf 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 Graf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 11,931
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 468
- Two or more races2.1% · 277
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 130
- Black or African American0.7% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Graf
Graf 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
#2,710
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,301
-257 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 4.51
Rank movement Down 265 places
2020
#2,719
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,921
-380 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 4.32
Rank movement Down 9 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,445 | 13,558 | 5.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,710 | 13,301 | 4.51 | -257 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 265 places |
| 2020 | #2,719 | 12,921 | 4.32 | -380 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 9 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 Graf 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 | #2,710 | #2,719 | -0.3% |
| Count | 13,301 | 12,921 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.51 | 4.32 | -4.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Graf bearers went from 13,301 to 12,921 (-2.9% change). The surname moved down 9 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,710 to #2,719.
FAQ
Graf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Graf?
Name Census estimates that about 14,817 living Americans carry the surname Graf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,133 residents.
How common is Graf?
Graf ranks #2,719 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,921 people with the surname Graf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,817), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Graf.
Has Graf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Graf went from 13,301 recorded bearers to 12,921. That is a decrease of 380 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,710 to #2,719.
What does the Census say about the background of Graf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Graf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Graf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (11,931 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Graf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Graf (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 Graf mean?
A German occupational surname referring to a count, earl, or a high-ranking nobleman. 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 Graf (4.32 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 many people share the surname Graf?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.