Panoff last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Panoff

A Russian surname meaning "lord" or "master".

Panoff, 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 Panoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Panoff in America

Panoff is the 133863rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Panoff surname appeared 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 Panoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Panoff 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 133863 143847 -7.19%
Count 126 106 17.24%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Panoff

The surname Panoff originates from Russia and is derived from the Russian word "pan," meaning "lord" or "master." This name likely originated in the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century, when it was common for surnames to be based on occupations or social status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Panoff can be found in the Velvet Book, a collection of Russian genealogical records dating back to the 16th century. This suggests that the Panoff family was likely part of the Russian nobility or held a position of authority during that time.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Panoff was Ivan Panoff, a Russian diplomat and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Born in 1635, he played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering diplomatic relations between the two empires.

Another prominent individual with the surname Panoff was Mikhail Panoff, a Russian military officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He was decorated for his bravery and leadership in several battles against the French forces.

During the late 19th century, the name Panoff was associated with the town of Panovka, located in the Samara region of Russia. This town likely derived its name from the Panoff family, suggesting they may have been landowners or influential figures in that area.

In the 20th century, one noteworthy individual with the surname Panoff was Yuri Panoff, a renowned Russian writer and poet who was born in 1905. His works often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, earning him recognition both within Russia and internationally.

Another significant figure was Svetlana Panoff, a Russian ballet dancer who gained fame in the mid-1900s for her performances with the Bolshoi Ballet. She was celebrated for her grace, technical precision, and emotive performances, solidifying her place as one of the most respected ballerinas of her time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Panoff

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

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 Panoff was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.03% 121
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Panoff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.03% 99.06% -3.11%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Panoff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 14, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/panoff-surname-popularity/.

"Panoff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/panoff-surname-popularity/. Accessed 14 March, 2025

Panoff last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/panoff-surname-popularity/.

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