2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Nesfeder
A toponymic surname possibly derived from a place name referring to someone from the region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Nesfeder. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nesfeder surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Nesfeder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nesfeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nesfeder
The surname NESFEDER has its roots in central Europe, specifically in the German-speaking regions. It is believed to have originated in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is likely derived from the German words "Nest" meaning "nest" and "Feder" meaning "feather," potentially referring to an occupation or trade associated with feathers or nesting birds.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NESFEDER can be found in a local tax registry from the town of Nuremberg in 1412, where a certain Hans Nesfeder is listed as a resident. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by the early 15th century.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Johann Nesfeder (1508-1562) was a prominent theologian and author based in Wittenberg, Germany. His works on religious doctrine and scriptural interpretations were widely read during the Protestant Reformation.
Another historical figure bearing the NESFEDER surname was Katharina Nesfeder (1583-1647), a German midwife and herbalist from Saxony. Her expertise in traditional healing practices and knowledge of medicinal herbs earned her recognition in her local community.
Moving forward to the 18th century, a wealthy merchant named Friedrich Nesfeder (1725-1798) lived in the city of Hamburg. He amassed a considerable fortune through his successful trading ventures and was known for his philanthropic contributions to various charitable causes.
In the 19th century, the name NESFEDER appeared in several towns and villages across Germany, with some families settling in neighboring regions like Austria and Switzerland. One notable individual from this period was Wilhelm Nesfeder (1842-1912), a German architect who designed several iconic buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag and the Berliner Dom.
While the NESFEDER surname has its origins in central Europe, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, it remains a relatively uncommon name, with pockets of concentration in certain regions where German heritage and influence are more prominent.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nesfeder
Among Census respondents with the surname Nesfeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Nesfeder bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nesfeder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.9% · 100
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nesfeder
Nesfeder appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+6 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,598 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.8%) | Up 6,598 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nesfeder surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #149,446 | 4.2% |
| Count | 104 | 110 | 5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nesfeder bearers went from 104 to 110 (+5.8% change). The surname moved up 6,598 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #149,446.
FAQ
Nesfeder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nesfeder?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Nesfeder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Nesfeder?
Nesfeder ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Nesfeder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nesfeder.
Has Nesfeder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nesfeder went from 104 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 6 (+5.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Nesfeder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nesfeder, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.9%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nesfeder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.9% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nesfeder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.9%), Black (2.7%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nesfeder (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nesfeder mean?
A toponymic surname possibly derived from a place name referring to someone from the region. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nesfeder (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Nesfeder?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.