2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nofs
Of Slavic origin, a locative surname indicating someone who resided near a wooded area or forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Nofs. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nofs 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Nofs in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nofs, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nofs
The surname NOFS has its origins in the Netherlands, dating back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "noff," which was a term used to describe a small settlement or hamlet. The name likely emerged as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived in or near such a settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NOFS surname can be found in the Dutch town of Haarlem, where a record from 1537 mentions a "Jan Nofs." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the mid-16th century.
During the 17th century, the Netherlands experienced a significant period of emigration, with many Dutch settlers seeking new opportunities in the American colonies. It is likely that some individuals bearing the NOFS surname made the journey across the Atlantic during this time, potentially contributing to the spread of the name in North America.
In the late 18th century, a prominent figure named Pieter NOFS (1745-1819) gained recognition as a skilled silversmith and engraver in Amsterdam. His intricate work adorned many valuable objects of the time, and he was highly regarded for his craftsmanship.
Another notable individual with the NOFS surname was Hendrik NOFS (1792-1871), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. His works were exhibited in various galleries across the Netherlands and received critical acclaim during his lifetime.
Moving into the 19th century, Johannes NOFS (1815-1895) was a respected theologian and academic who served as a professor at the University of Leiden. His scholarly writings on religious philosophy and ethics were widely read and influential within academic circles of that era.
Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the NOFS surname in North America can be found in the records of New Netherland (present-day New York state), where a man named Dirck NOFS was listed as a resident of the Dutch settlement in 1643.
In the late 19th century, a prominent figure named Wilhelmina NOFS (1867-1946) made significant contributions to the field of education in the Netherlands. She played a pivotal role in establishing several schools and advocating for improved educational opportunities for underprivileged children.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the NOFS surname, spanning various professions and regions over several centuries. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Netherlands, its presence has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nofs
Among Census respondents with the surname Nofs, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Nofs 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 Nofs surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 4
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nofs
Nofs appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,263 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-16 bearers (-13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 9,263 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-13.0%) | Down 15,190 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 Nofs 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 | #136,449 | #151,639 | -11.1% |
| Count | 123 | 107 | -13.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nofs bearers went from 123 to 107 (-13.0% change). The surname moved down 15,190 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #151,639.
FAQ
Nofs surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nofs?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Nofs. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Nofs?
Nofs ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Nofs. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Nofs.
Has Nofs become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nofs went from 123 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 16 (-13.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Nofs?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nofs, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Nofs in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nofs appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Nofs (2000, 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 Nofs mean?
Of Slavic origin, a locative surname indicating someone who resided near a wooded area or forest. 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 Nofs (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 have the surname Nofs?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.