2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Nyffeler
A Swiss surname denoting someone local to Niffeln or Nyffeln (placename of unknown origin).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Nyffeler. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nyffeler 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Nyffeler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nyffeler, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nyffeler
The surname NYFFELER originated in Switzerland, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "niffil," meaning a small river or stream, suggesting that the name's bearers may have lived near a waterway.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NYFFELER surname can be found in the town records of Thun, Switzerland, from the year 1342. This document mentions a certain "Johannes Nyffeler," indicating the name's presence in the region during the medieval period.
In the 15th century, the NYFFELER family expanded their presence across various Swiss cantons, including Bern and Lucerne. Historical records from this era show variations in the spelling, such as "Niffeler" and "Nyfeler," reflecting the linguistic and scribal practices of the time.
The NYFFELER surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure was Hans Nyffeler (1510-1578), a Swiss painter and illustrator renowned for his intricate woodcuts and engravings depicting biblical scenes and landscapes.
Another prominent NYFFELER was Johann Rudolf Nyffeler (1724-1802), a Swiss theologian and author who served as a pastor in the city of Zurich. His works on Christian doctrine and ethics were widely read and influential during the 18th century.
In the 19th century, the NYFFELER name gained recognition through the achievements of August Nyffeler (1835-1901), a Swiss engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing several innovative designs for textile machinery, which played a significant role in the industrialization of the Swiss textile industry.
The NYFFELER family also left their mark on the world of sports. Ernst Nyffeler (1887-1964) was a Swiss tennis player who competed in the early 20th century and represented Switzerland in several international tournaments, including the Davis Cup.
Another notable figure was Max Nyffeler (1921-2005), a Swiss artist and sculptor known for his abstract compositions and large-scale public installations. His works can be found in various museums and public spaces throughout Switzerland and beyond.
While the NYFFELER surname has its roots in Switzerland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and family ties. However, its origins remain firmly grounded in the picturesque valleys and streams of the Swiss countryside, where the name first emerged centuries ago.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nyffeler
Among Census respondents with the surname Nyffeler, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nyffeler 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 Nyffeler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.2% · 110
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nyffeler
Nyffeler 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
-8 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,775 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-18 bearers (-13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,344 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 13,775 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-13.8%) | Down 17,344 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 Nyffeler 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 | #130,610 | #147,954 | -13.3% |
| Count | 130 | 112 | -13.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nyffeler bearers went from 130 to 112 (-13.8% change). The surname moved down 17,344 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #147,954.
FAQ
Nyffeler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nyffeler?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Nyffeler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Nyffeler?
Nyffeler ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Nyffeler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Nyffeler.
Has Nyffeler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nyffeler went from 130 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 18 (-13.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Nyffeler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nyffeler, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Nyffeler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.2% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nyffeler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.2%), Black (0.9%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Nyffeler (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 Nyffeler mean?
A Swiss surname denoting someone local to Niffeln or Nyffeln (placename of unknown origin). 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 Nyffeler (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 are called Nyffeler?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Nyffeler on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.