2000
#6,136
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.91
Rare Last name
Hafner
An occupational surname referring to a potter who specialized in making cookware, such as pots and pans.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,589 Americans carry the last name Hafner. That puts it at #6,656 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,327 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hafner 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
5.6K
1 in 61,327
Census rank
#6,656
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,874 bearers of the surname Hafner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6656th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hafner, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hafner
The surname HAFNER originated in Germany and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "hafen," meaning a pot or vessel, specifically referring to those used in ovens or furnaces. The name likely indicated an occupation or trade involving pottery or metalworking.
In its earliest forms, the surname was recorded as "Hafener" or "Hafner" in various regions of Germany. One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in a manuscript from the city of Nuremberg, dated around 1290, which lists a certain "Heinrich Hafner" as a resident potter.
The HAFNER name appeared to have been particularly prevalent in the areas of Bavaria and Saxony, where pottery and metalworking industries were well-established during the medieval period. Records from the 14th and 15th centuries show variations such as "Haffner" and "Haffener" in these regions.
One notable early bearer of the HAFNER name was Johann Hafner, a renowned potter from the city of Meissen, who lived from around 1470 to 1538. He is credited with developing the famous Meissen porcelain, which became highly sought-after throughout Europe.
Another historical figure was Georg Hafner, born in 1588 in Nuremberg, who was a skilled goldsmith and engraver. His intricate metalwork and engravings on various objects, including armor and weapons, were highly prized by nobility and collectors during his lifetime.
In the 17th century, the HAFNER name can be found in records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a family of potters and tile makers resided. One member, Hans Hafner (1615-1684), gained recognition for his beautifully decorated tiles and stoneware products.
Moving into the 18th century, a notable HAFNER was Johann Michael Hafner, born in 1711 in Augsburg. He was a renowned painter and fresco artist, whose works adorned several churches and palaces throughout Bavaria and beyond.
Another important figure was Philipp Hafner, born in 1735 in Nuremberg, who was a highly skilled mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.
While the HAFNER surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and the world through migration and diasporas. The name continues to be associated with skilled craftspeople, artisans, and those involved in various trades and professions related to pottery, metalworking, and other related fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hafner
Among Census respondents with the surname Hafner, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Hafner 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 Hafner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 4,508
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 147
- Two or more races2.9% · 140
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 38
- Black or African American0.6% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hafner
Hafner 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
#6,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,187
+47 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 1.76
Rank movement Down 396 places
2020
#6,656
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,874
-313 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 1.63
Rank movement Down 124 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,136 | 5,140 | 1.91 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,532 | 5,187 | 1.76 | +47 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 396 places |
| 2020 | #6,656 | 4,874 | 1.63 | -313 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 124 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 Hafner 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 | #6,532 | #6,656 | -1.9% |
| Count | 5,187 | 4,874 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.76 | 1.63 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hafner bearers went from 5,187 to 4,874 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 124 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,532 to #6,656.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hafner
FAQ
Hafner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hafner?
Name Census estimates that about 5,589 living Americans carry the surname Hafner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 61,327 residents.
How common is Hafner?
Hafner ranks #6,656 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,874 people with the surname Hafner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,589), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Hafner.
Has Hafner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hafner went from 5,187 recorded bearers to 4,874. That is a decrease of 313 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,532 to #6,656.
What does the Census say about the background of Hafner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hafner, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Hafner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (4,508 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hafner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Hafner (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 Hafner mean?
An occupational surname referring to a potter who specialized in making cookware, such as pots and pans. 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 Hafner (1.63 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 Americans have the surname Hafner?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.