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

Off, 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 Off surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Off in America

Off is the 53802nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Off surname appeared 384 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 Off.

We can also compare 2010 data for Off 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 Off

The surname "Off" is believed to have originated in Germany, likely around the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "offe," which means "open" or "free." This could suggest that the name was initially given to someone who lived in an open or unenclosed area, or perhaps someone who was free from serfdom or bondage.

One of the earliest known records of the name "Off" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dated around 1200. In this record, there is a mention of a person named "Conradus Off," suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 14th century, there are records of individuals with the name "Off" residing in various parts of Germany, including the towns of Nuremberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. One notable individual from this period was Hans Off, a merchant and member of the town council in Rothenburg, who lived from around 1350 to 1415.

As the name spread across Europe, it evolved into different spellings and variations, such as "Offe," "Offen," and "Offner." In some regions, the name took on localized forms, like "Offy" in parts of England and "Offey" in Ireland.

During the 16th century, there are records of an individual named Johann Off, who was a renowned painter and sculptor active in Nuremberg between 1500 and 1560. His works can still be found in various churches and museums across Germany.

Another notable figure with the surname "Off" was Wilhelm Off, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1670 to 1738. He was known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy, and his works were widely read and discussed during the Enlightenment period.

In the 19th century, there are records of a family named Off residing in the town of Büdingen, in the German state of Hesse. One member of this family, Karl Off, was a respected local businessman and community leader who lived from 1825 to 1892.

As the name spread further across Europe and to other parts of the world through migration and immigration, it continued to evolve and take on new forms and variations. However, its roots can be traced back to the German regions, where it first emerged as a surname many centuries ago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Off

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

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

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

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