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

Niehoff, 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 Niehoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Niehoff in America

Niehoff is the 22749th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Niehoff surname appeared 1,126 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 Niehoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Niehoff 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 Niehoff

The surname NIEHOFF has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Low German word "nie" meaning "new" and "hof" meaning a small farm or homestead. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived on a newly established farm or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NIEHOFF can be found in the parish records of the town of Hagen, located in the present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In these records, a certain Johannes Niehoff is mentioned as a resident of the town in the year 1587.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name began to spread across various regions of Germany, with variations in spelling such as Niehof, Niehoffe, and Niehoffen appearing in different areas. This was likely due to the movement of people and the regional variations in language and dialect.

A notable bearer of the name was Johann Niehoff (1642-1721), a German theologian and author who served as a professor at the University of Helmstedt. His works include several theological treatises and commentaries on various books of the Bible.

In the 19th century, the name NIEHOFF began to appear in records outside of Germany, as members of the family emigrated to other parts of Europe and beyond. One such example is Johann Wilhelm Niehoff (1833-1907), a German-born engineer who immigrated to the United States and played a significant role in the construction of several bridges and railroads.

Another individual of note was Ernst Niehoff (1870-1942), a German artist and painter who was known for his landscapes and portraits. His works were exhibited in various galleries across Germany and Europe during his lifetime.

As the 20th century approached, the NIEHOFF name continued to spread globally, with individuals bearing the surname making contributions in various fields. One such person was Walther Niehoff (1908-1988), a German-American physicist who worked on the development of radar technology during World War II and later became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Throughout its history, the surname NIEHOFF has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each leaving their mark on the world in their own unique way.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Niehoff

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

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

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

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