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

Lenhoff, 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 Lenhoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lenhoff in America

Lenhoff is the 53538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lenhoff surname appeared 386 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 Lenhoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lenhoff 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 Lenhoff

The surname Lenhoff is of German origin and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas around Hamburg and Bremen. The name is thought to be derived from the German word "lehen," which means "fief" or "feud," and "hoff," meaning "court" or "estate."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lenhoff can be found in the town records of Lübeck, dating back to 1489, where a merchant named Hans Lenhoff is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the chronicles of the city of Hamburg from the early 16th century, where a wealthy landowner named Joachim Lenhoff is mentioned.

In the 17th century, the Lenhoff family gained prominence in the region, with several members holding influential positions in the local government and trade guilds. One notable figure from this period was Johann Lenhoff (1625-1697), a successful merchant and ship owner who established a trading company that operated throughout the Baltic Sea region.

As the Lenhoff family expanded and members migrated to other parts of Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Lenhof, Lenhove, and Lenhofen. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the Netherlands, where they were known as the Lenhoven family.

Another significant figure in the history of the Lenhoff name was Karl Lenhoff (1790-1865), a German philosopher and professor at the University of Heidelberg. His writings on ethics and metaphysics were widely influential during the 19th century.

In the 20th century, the name Lenhoff gained recognition in the field of theater and literature. One notable bearer was the American playwright and screenwriter Joachim Lenhoff (1915-2005), whose works explored themes of identity and cultural assimilation.

While the surname Lenhoff is not among the most common in Germany or other parts of Europe, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lenhoff

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

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

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

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