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

Lauffer, 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 Lauffer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lauffer in America

Lauffer is the 20758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lauffer surname appeared 1,273 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 Lauffer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lauffer 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 Lauffer

The surname Lauffer has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the German word "laufen," which means "to run" or "to walk." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was a messenger or a courier, whose job involved a significant amount of walking or running.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the 12th century. This work mentions an individual named "Conradus Lauffer" from the region of Saxony, providing evidence of the name's existence during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Heidelberg University matriculation records, indicating that individuals bearing the surname Lauffer were pursuing higher education during that era. One notable entry is that of "Johannes Lauffer" from the year 1386.

The name Lauffer has also been associated with various place names throughout its history. For instance, there is a village called Laufersweiler in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, which may have been named after an individual or family with the surname Lauffer.

Historically, several individuals with the surname Lauffer have achieved recognition in various fields. One such figure is Johann Friedrich Lauffer (1638-1712), a German theologian and professor who taught at the University of Tübingen. Another notable bearer of the name is Christoph Lauffer (1573-1631), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a councilor in the city of Nuremberg.

In the artistic realm, Johann Lauffer (1741-1805) was a German painter known for his portraits and religious works, while Johann Konrad Lauffer (1767-1836) was a German composer and organist who contributed to the development of sacred music in his time.

The surname Lauffer has also been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to science and exploration. For example, Johann Lauffer (1629-1701) was a German astronomer and mathematician who worked on improving the accuracy of celestial calculations.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname Lauffer, which has its roots firmly planted in the German-speaking regions of Europe and has been carried by individuals across various professions and walks of life throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lauffer

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

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

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

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