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

Jeffer, 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 Jeffer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jeffer in America

Jeffer is the 86645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jeffer surname appeared 215 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 Jeffer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jeffer 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 Jeffer

The surname JEFFER is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Geoffer" or "Geoffer," which was a variant of the more common name "Geoffrey." These names were introduced to England by the Normans after the conquest in 1066.

The earliest known record of the name JEFFER can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Geffrei" and "Geffrai." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, likely among Norman settlers in England.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name JEFFER began to spread across various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. It was often associated with places bearing similar names, such as Jeffery's Bridge in Norfolk and Jeffery's Close in Suffolk.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname JEFFER was Sir John Jeffer, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Lincolnshire during the 13th century. He is mentioned in several legal documents and records from that period, cementing the surname's presence in the region.

Another notable figure was William Jeffer, born in 1420 in Norfolk. He was a merchant and served as a member of the local council in Norwich, a testament to the family's standing and influence in the area.

In the 16th century, the surname JEFFER underwent slight variations in spelling, appearing as "Jefferey," "Jeffreys," and "Jeffries." One of the most famous bearers of this name was Judge George Jeffreys (1645-1689), known as the "Hanging Judge" for his brutal treatment of participants in the Monmouth Rebellion.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several members of the JEFFER family made their mark in various fields. John Jeffer (1678-1744) was a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Jeffer (1723-1798) was a celebrated poet and writer whose works were widely published during her lifetime.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and, eventually, to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in America was Thomas Jeffer, who settled in Virginia in the late 17th century.

Throughout its history, the surname JEFFER has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, ranging from landowners and merchants to artists and intellectuals. While its origins can be traced back to the Norman conquest of England, the name has since become a part of the rich tapestry of surnames found across the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jeffer

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!