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

Hefner, 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 Hefner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hefner in America

Hefner is the 4391st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hefner surname appeared 8,100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Hefner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hefner 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 Hefner

The surname Hefner is of German origin, deriving from the occupational name "Hafner" which referred to a potter or someone who made pottery. This name dates back to the Middle Ages, specifically the 12th century, when it was first recorded in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany.

The name Hefner is believed to have evolved from the Middle High German word "havenaere" or "hafner," which meant "pot maker" or "potter." This occupation was highly valued during that time, as pottery was an essential part of daily life for storing and transporting goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hefner can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. In this record, a person named "Conradus Hafner" is mentioned in the year 1295.

Another notable historical reference to the name Hefner is found in the "Stadtbuch von Augsburg," a city book from Augsburg, Germany, which dates back to the 15th century. In this record, a person named "Hans Hefner" is listed as a resident of the city in the year 1463.

Some famous individuals with the surname Hefner throughout history include:

1. Johann Hefner (1525-1592), a German theologian and author from Nuremberg.
2. Michael Hefner (1644-1714), a German sculptor and woodcarver from Augsburg.
3. Georg Hefner (1769-1849), a German painter and engraver from Munich.
4. Johann Hefner (1806-1875), a German businessman and founder of the Hefner Brewery in Würzburg.
5. Christian Hefner (1860-1932), a German-American brewer and founder of the Hefner Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The name Hefner has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Germany. For example, the town of Hefnerholz in Lower Saxony, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from the Hefner family who once lived in the area. Similarly, the village of Hefnersdorf in Thuringia, Germany, is thought to have been named after a person with the surname Hefner.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hefner

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

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

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

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