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

Pfautz, 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 Pfautz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pfautz in America

Pfautz is the 61436th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pfautz surname appeared 327 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 Pfautz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pfautz 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 Pfautz

The surname Pfautz is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the region of Saxony, specifically in the areas around Leipzig and Dresden.

The name Pfautz is thought to be derived from the German word "Pfau," which translates to "peacock." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with or raised peacocks, or perhaps a nickname given to someone with a flamboyant or proud demeanor, akin to the bird's behavior.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Pfautz name can be found in the Meissen Cadastre, a land registry from the 14th century. This document lists a "Hans Pfautz" as a landowner in the village of Niederseidewitz, near Dresden.

In the 15th century, a "Konrad Pfautz" was mentioned in the records of the city of Leipzig as a master craftsman in the guild of weavers. This suggests that the Pfautz name was not only present in rural areas but also in urban centers during that time.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various church records and tax rolls across Saxony and neighboring regions, indicating its spread across central Germany.

One notable figure bearing the Pfautz name was Johann Pfautz (1576-1638), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Leipzig. He was known for his contributions to the field of biblical exegesis and his published works on religious subjects.

Another individual of note was Christoph Pfautz (1645-1711), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Dukes of Saxe-Weissenfels. His compositions, primarily for organ and sacred choral works, were widely performed in his time.

In the 18th century, a "Friedrich Pfautz" (1720-1781) was recorded as a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Zwenkau, near Leipzig. His wealth and influence in the community were evident from the records of his business dealings and property holdings.

The 19th century saw the migration of many Pfautz families from Germany to other parts of Europe and the Americas, contributing to the wider spread of the surname.

One such individual was Carl Pfautz (1835-1912), a German-American industrialist who founded the Pfautz & Thonius Malt House in Chicago, one of the largest malting operations in the United States at the time.

While the origins and early history of the Pfautz surname are rooted in central Germany, particularly the region of Saxony, the name has since dispersed to various parts of the world through migration and historical events, carrying with it the echoes of its unique and distinctive heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pfautz

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

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

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

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