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

Kauffman, 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 Kauffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kauffman in America

Kauffman is the 1606th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kauffman surname appeared 22,353 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Kauffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kauffman 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 Kauffman

The surname Kauffman originates from Germany, where it first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Kaufmann," meaning "merchant" or "trader." The name likely referred to someone who worked as a merchant or was involved in commerce.

Kauffman is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where trade and commerce were prevalent. The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1375, when a person named Hans Kauffman was mentioned in a document from the city of Augsburg.

During the Middle Ages, the Kauffman name appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including city registries and guild records. One notable mention is found in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a 15th-century illustrated world history book, which lists several individuals with the surname Kauffman.

In the 16th century, the Kauffman name began to spread beyond Germany, as merchants and traders traveled to other parts of Europe. Some individuals with this surname were involved in the establishment of trading companies and guilds in cities like Amsterdam and Antwerp.

Notable individuals with the surname Kauffman include:

1. Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807), a Swiss Neoclassical painter who was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
2. Reginald Wright Kauffman (1877-1944), an American author and journalist known for his novels and short stories set in the American West.
3. Nicolaas Kauffman (1892-1966), a Dutch footballer who played as a forward and represented the Netherlands national team in the 1920s.
4. Theodor Kauffman (1814-1896), a German philosopher and writer who was influential in the mid-19th century.
5. Johann Baptist Kauffman (1846-1923), an Austrian painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

The Kauffman name has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Germany. For example, the town of Kauffman in Saxony, Germany, is believed to have derived its name from the surname.

Overall, the surname Kauffman has a rich history rooted in the mercantile and trading traditions of Germany, and its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kauffman

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

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

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

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