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

Koff, 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 Koff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Koff in America

Koff is the 35447th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Koff surname appeared 635 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 Koff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Koff 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 Koff

The surname KOFF originated in Germany during the early 16th century, deriving from the Old German word "kofen," meaning "a small room or hut." It is believed to have been an occupational name for someone who lived in a small dwelling or worked as a caretaker of such a structure.

KOFF is thought to have first appeared in historical records in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconian region of present-day Bavaria, Germany. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in a church registry from 1542, which mentions a Hans KOFF.

In the 17th century, the surname began to spread beyond Rothenburg and the Franconian region, with various spellings appearing in different parts of Germany. In the city of Nuremberg, records from 1621 mention a Johann KHOFF, while in the town of Bamberg, a Maria KHOFFE is documented in 1647.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname KOFF was Johann Michael KOFF, a renowned clockmaker born in Nuremberg in 1685. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after by wealthy patrons throughout Europe.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was Friedrich Wilhelm KOFF, a German philosopher and academic who lived from 1725 to 1795. He served as a professor at the University of Halle and authored several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.

In the 19th century, the KOFF surname began to appear in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and the spread of industrialization. A notable figure from this time was the Russian businessman and philanthropist Ivan Ivanovich KOFF, who lived from 1838 to 1901. He amassed a considerable fortune through his textile mills and used his wealth to support various charitable causes.

Another individual of note was the German artist and designer Karl KOFF, born in 1878 in Berlin. He was a prominent figure in the Art Nouveau movement and is best known for his intricate stained glass designs and ornamental metalwork.

The 20th century saw the KOFF surname continue to spread globally, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields. One such person was the Finnish architect and urban planner Eliel KOFF, who lived from 1890 to 1953. He was a pioneer of the Nordic Classicism style and designed several iconic buildings in Finland and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Koff

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

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

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

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