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

Jeffress, 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 Jeffress surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jeffress in America

Jeffress is the 26313th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jeffress surname appeared 928 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 Jeffress.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jeffress 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 Jeffress

The surname Jeffress is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "geof" meaning "gift" and "hors" meaning "horse". The name was likely originally used as a descriptive term for someone who had received a gift of a horse, or perhaps a person who bred or traded horses.

The earliest known record of the name Jeffress appears in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk from 1190, where it is spelled as "Gefhors". It is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is rendered as "Jeffhors". These early spellings offer insight into the name's evolution over time.

During the medieval period, the name Jeffress was particularly prevalent in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex in eastern England. Some of the earliest bearers of the name were likely associated with equestrian trades or the ownership of horses, which were highly valued at the time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Jeffress was Sir John Jeffress (c. 1450-1526), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry from Norfolk. He served as a Member of Parliament for the county during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and tax rolls, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1673, where a Samuel Jeffress is listed in the village of Hoxne, Suffolk.

Another notable individual was Thomas Jeffress (1695-1768), a prominent merchant and shipowner from the city of Bristol. He played a significant role in the city's maritime trade and was instrumental in establishing several new trade routes.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was William Jeffress (1809-1888), a renowned architect from London. He designed several notable buildings, including the Holborn Town Hall and the Church of St. Barnabas in Pimlico.

The name Jeffress has also been associated with various place names, such as Jeffress Green in Suffolk, which likely derived its name from an early settler with the surname.

While the surname Jeffress is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, and architects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jeffress

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

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

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

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