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

Offerdahl, 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 Offerdahl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Offerdahl in America

Offerdahl is the 49914th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Offerdahl surname appeared 420 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 Offerdahl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Offerdahl 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 Offerdahl

The surname Offerdahl is of German origin, originating in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the German words "offen" meaning "open" and "dahl" meaning "valley," potentially referring to someone who lived in an open valley or clearing.

One of the earliest known records of the name Offerdahl can be found in the town records of Schönau, a village in the Black Forest region of present-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. A family by the name of Offerdahl is mentioned in a document dated 1492, suggesting their presence in the area during the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Offendahl," appeared in the parish records of St. Michael's Church in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, also located in Baden-Württemberg. This entry, dated 1527, recorded the baptism of a child named Hans Offendahl.

During the 17th century, the Offerdahl name spread to other parts of Germany, including the northern regions. In 1678, a merchant named Johann Offerdahl is recorded as having established a successful trading business in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg.

One notable bearer of the Offerdahl surname was Friedrich Offerdahl (1719-1798), a German theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg. His writings on ethics and moral philosophy were widely influential during the Age of Enlightenment.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johanna Offerdahl (1856-1922), a German-born American philanthropist and women's rights advocate. She co-founded the Offerdahl Orphanage in New York City, providing shelter and education for underprivileged children.

In the 19th century, the Offerdahl name also appeared in the United States, likely due to immigration from Germany. One example is Wilhelm Offerdahl (1832-1908), a German immigrant who became a successful farmer and landowner in Wisconsin.

While the surname Offerdahl is not among the most common in Germany or other parts of the world, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been borne by notable figures across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Offerdahl

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

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

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

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