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

Neph, 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 Neph surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Neph in America

Neph is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Neph surname appeared 109 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 Neph.

We can also compare 2010 data for Neph 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 Neph

The surname NEPH originates from the German language and can be traced back to the late medieval period, around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "neffe," which meant "nephew" or "descendant." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who was a nephew or a distant relative.

One of the earliest records of the name NEPH can be found in the Alsatian region of modern-day France, where it was sometimes spelled as "Neph" or "Nephf." The name was particularly prevalent in the villages and towns around the city of Strasbourg, which had a significant German-speaking population during that time.

In the 16th century, the name NEPH appeared in several historical documents, including church records and municipal registers. One notable example is Johann Neph, a merchant from the city of Augsburg, who was recorded in a trade guild register in 1542.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Nephf," "Nefe," and "Nephe." These variations were common due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

In the 17th century, the NEPH surname gained prominence in the region of Saxony, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire. One notable figure from this period was Christian Neph (1615-1687), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Leipzig.

The 18th century saw the name NEPH appearing in various parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. One prominent individual was Johann Nepomuk Neph (1732-1804), a Bavarian composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Bavaria.

During the 19th century, as migration patterns increased, the NEPH surname spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. One notable figure from this period was Carl Neph (1851-1925), a German-American businessman who founded the Neph Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Other notable individuals with the surname NEPH include:

1. Friedrich Neph (1867-1934), a German engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of the diesel engine.
2. Anna Neph (1892-1976), an Austrian painter and artist associated with the Expressionist movement.
3. Heinrich Neph (1906-1988), a German mathematician and professor at the University of Göttingen.
4. Lorenz Neph (1924-2003), a Swiss writer and poet who was known for his works on rural life and landscapes.
5. Ingrid Neph (born 1947), a German-born American actress and theater director who has worked extensively in both Europe and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Neph

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

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

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

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