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

Peifer, 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 Peifer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Peifer in America

Peifer is the 18786th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Peifer surname appeared 1,459 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 Peifer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Peifer 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 Peifer

The surname Peifer is of German origin, derived from the occupational name "Pfeifer" which means "piper" or "flute player". It is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, in various regions of Germany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peifer can be found in the Berne Shaking Records of 1463, where a certain "Hans Pfeifer" is mentioned. The name also appears in the Palatinate Marriage Records of 1585, suggesting its spread to different parts of Germany.

In the 16th century, the surname Peifer is documented in the town of Regensburg, Bavaria. A notable bearer of the name during this time was Michael Peifer, a master baker who was born in Regensburg in 1542 and died in 1612.

As the name Peifer spread across Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Pfeifer, Pfeiffer, and Pfeifer. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record keepers.

In the 17th century, the name Peifer is recorded in the Württemberg Emigration Records of 1685, indicating the migration of individuals with this surname from Germany to other parts of Europe and possibly even to the Americas.

A notable bearer of the Peifer name was Johann Peifer, a German composer and organist who lived from 1642 to 1719. He was born in Nuremberg and served as the organist at the Frauenkirche in Munich.

Another historical figure with the surname Peifer was Friedrich Peifer, a German painter who was born in Darmstadt in 1776 and died in 1846. He was known for his landscapes and portraits, and his works can be found in various galleries and museums in Germany.

In the 19th century, the Peifer surname appears in various records across Germany, including the Saxony Census of 1834 and the Hesse-Darmstadt Census of 1867.

One of the more prominent individuals with the Peifer surname was Karl Peifer, a German architect who lived from 1856 to 1928. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum.

Throughout history, the surname Peifer has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, musicians, craftsmen, and professionals. While the name may have undergone some spelling variations over time, its origins can be traced back to the German occupation of "piper" or "flute player".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Peifer

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

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

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

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