2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Kaffer
A derogatory term used to insultingly refer to Black people in parts of Africa.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Kaffer. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Kaffer 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Kaffer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Kaffer
The surname Kaffer is derived from the German word "Kaffer," which was a derogatory term used to refer to Black African people. The term itself is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "kafir," meaning "unbeliever" or "infidel."
The Kaffer surname is thought to have originated in Southern Africa during the colonial era when European settlers, particularly those of German descent, used the term to refer to the indigenous African populations they encountered. The name likely emerged as a way to identify or distinguish individuals or families of African descent.
It's important to note that the term "Kaffer" was deeply offensive and dehumanizing, reflecting the racist attitudes and colonial mindset of the time. Its use as a surname is a reminder of the oppressive and discriminatory treatment faced by African communities during this period.
While there are no notable historical figures specifically recorded with the surname Kaffer, it's likely that the name was used to identify individuals or families of African descent living in areas under German colonial rule or influence.
The surname Kaffer serves as a sobering reminder of the deeply rooted racism and oppression that existed during the colonial era, and its continued use, even as a surname, perpetuates harmful stereotypes and ideologies. It's important to acknowledge and understand the problematic origins of such names to foster greater awareness and promote inclusivity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Kaffer
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Kaffer 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 Kaffer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Black or African American3.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Kaffer
Kaffer 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,096 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,327 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Down 1,096 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 1,327 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 Kaffer 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 | #151,532 | #150,205 | 0.9% |
| Count | 108 | 109 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Kaffer bearers went from 108 to 109 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 1,327 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #150,205.
FAQ
Kaffer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Kaffer?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Kaffer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Kaffer?
Kaffer ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Kaffer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Kaffer.
Has Kaffer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Kaffer went from 108 recorded bearers to 109. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Kaffer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Kaffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.6%) and Black (3.7%). 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 Kaffer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Kaffer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Hispanic (4.6%), Black (3.7%). 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 Kaffer (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 Kaffer mean?
A derogatory term used to insultingly refer to Black people in parts of Africa. 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 Kaffer (0.04 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 have the last name Kaffer?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Kaffer at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.