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

Kaufman, 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 Kaufman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaufman in America

Kaufman is the 1007th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaufman surname appeared 34,844 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Kaufman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaufman 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 Kaufman

The surname Kaufman is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "koufman," which means "merchant" or "trader." This name first emerged in the 12th century in the Germanic regions of central Europe.

The name Kaufman is an occupational surname, given to individuals who were involved in commercial activities, such as buying and selling goods. It is believed that the earliest bearers of this name were merchants or traders who traveled across medieval Europe, facilitating the exchange of goods between different regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaufman can be found in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a 9th-century manuscript from the Benedictine abbey of Corvey in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. This document mentions a person named "Kauffman" as a witness in a legal transaction.

In the 13th century, the name Kaufman appeared in various forms, such as "Koufman," "Koffman," and "Kauffmann," in various German-speaking regions. During this period, the name was also associated with specific places, such as the town of Kaufbeuren in Bavaria, which derived its name from the German words "kauf" (buy) and "beuren" (farmers or peasants).

One notable historical figure with the surname Kaufman was Angelica Kauffmann (1741-1807), a Swiss Neoclassical painter who achieved significant fame and success in the 18th century. She was a founding member of the Royal Academy in London and is known for her iconic portraits and historical paintings.

Another prominent individual was Theodore Kaufman (1814-1884), an American businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Kaufman Brothers & Bondy Company, a successful trading and mercantile firm in the 19th century. He played a significant role in the development of the American West and was instrumental in establishing trade routes and commercial centers.

In the late 19th century, the German-American writer and philosopher Kaufman Kohler (1843-1926) gained recognition for his contributions to the reform movement within Judaism. He was a prominent figure in the Jewish community and served as the president of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati.

The 20th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the surname Kaufman, including George S. Kaufman (1889-1961), an American playwright and humorist who co-wrote numerous successful plays and musicals on Broadway, including "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "You Can't Take It With You."

Another prominent figure was Andy Kaufman (1949-1984), an American entertainer and actor known for his eccentric and unconventional comedy routines. He gained widespread recognition for his appearances on the popular television series "Taxi" and his distinctive brand of performance art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaufman

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

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

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

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