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

Kaufmann, 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 Kaufmann surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaufmann in America

Kaufmann is the 5133rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaufmann surname appeared 6,818 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kaufmann.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaufmann 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 Kaufmann

The surname Kaufmann originated in German-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages. It is an occupational surname derived from the German word "Kaufmann," meaning "merchant" or "trader." The name reflects the occupation of the original bearer, who was likely involved in commercial activities such as buying and selling goods.

The earliest known records of the surname Kaufmann date back to the 13th century in various regions of modern-day Germany and Switzerland. One of the earliest documented instances is found in the Bavarian town of Kaufbeuren, where a merchant named Chunradus Kaufmann was mentioned in a document from 1293.

Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the Kaufmann surname appeared in various historical records, including municipal registers, tax rolls, and guild records. For instance, Hans Kaufmann was a prominent merchant in the city of Nuremberg during the late 15th century, known for his successful trading ventures.

In the 16th century, the Kaufmann family gained prominence in the city of Augsburg, where they were part of the wealthy merchant class. Johann Kaufmann (1487-1552) was a prominent banker and merchant who served as a municipal councilor and played a significant role in the city's economic and political affairs.

Another noteworthy individual was Sebastian Kaufmann (1507-1553), a German humanist scholar and theologian from Tübingen. He was known for his contributions to the Protestant Reformation and his writings on theology and philosophy.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Kaufmann surname spread across various regions of German-speaking Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, and parts of present-day Poland and the Czech Republic. Notable figures from this period include Johann Gottfried Kaufmann (1679-1749), a German composer and organist from Leipzig, and Christian Kaufmann (1733-1807), a notable Swiss architect and sculptor from Graubünden.

In the 19th century, the Kaufmann family gained prominence in the field of commerce and industry. Abraham Kaufmann (1832-1915) was a German industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Kaufmann & Söhne textile company in Brötzingen, which became one of the largest textile manufacturers in Europe.

As the Kaufmann surname spread across Europe and beyond, it has been associated with various notable individuals throughout history, including scholars, artists, and businesspeople, reflecting its roots as an occupational surname connected to the merchant and trading professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaufmann

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

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

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

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