2000
#6,973
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,431
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.64
Rare Last name
Pfeffer
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a pepper merchant or spice dealer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,893 Americans carry the last name Pfeffer. That puts it at #7,521 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 70,050 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pfeffer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.9K
1 in 70,050
Census rank
#7,521
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,267 bearers of the surname Pfeffer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7521st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfeffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pfeffer
The surname Pfeffer is of German origin, derived from the German word "Pfeffer" which means "pepper". It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for someone who traded in pepper or other spices. The name can be traced back to the Middle Ages when the spice trade flourished in Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pfeffer can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the late 12th century. The name is mentioned in an entry dated 1196, referring to a certain "Conradus Pfeffer" from the town of Zwickau in Saxony.
During the 13th century, the surname Pfeffer began to spread across various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern states. In the city of Nuremberg, there are records of a family named Pfeffer who were prominent merchants and members of the city council in the late 1200s.
One notable historical figure with the surname Pfeffer was Johann Pfeffer, a Protestant reformer who lived from 1493 to 1561. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a pivotal role in the spread of the Reformation movement in Germany.
Another individual of note was Konrad Pfeffer, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1567 to 1612. He was known for his intricate woodcuts and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes.
In the 17th century, the name Pfeffer can be found in various parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Switzerland. One notable bearer of the name was Friedrich Pfeffer, a Swiss mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1639 to 1694. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and was a member of the Royal Society in London.
Moving into the 18th century, the name Pfeffer continued to be associated with various professions, including merchants, artisans, and scholars. Georg Pfeffer, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1716 to 1797, was a prominent figure in his time, known for his writings on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 19th century, the name Pfeffer gained recognition in the field of science and exploration. Georg August Pfeffer, a German botanist and explorer who lived from 1835 to 1908, made significant contributions to the study of plant physiology and conducted extensive research in South America.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Pfeffer who have left their mark throughout history. The name's origins as an occupational surname reflect the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of the spice trade in Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pfeffer
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfeffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Pfeffer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Pfeffer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 3,936
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 174
- Two or more races2.3% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 36
- Black or African American0.4% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pfeffer
Pfeffer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,554
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,400
-31 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 581 places
2020
#7,521
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,267
-133 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 1.43
Rank movement Up 33 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,973 | 4,431 | 1.64 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,554 | 4,400 | 1.49 | -31 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 581 places |
| 2020 | #7,521 | 4,267 | 1.43 | -133 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 33 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Pfeffer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,554 | #7,521 | 0.4% |
| Count | 4,400 | 4,267 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.49 | 1.43 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pfeffer bearers went from 4,400 to 4,267 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 33 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,554 to #7,521.
FAQ
Pfeffer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pfeffer?
Name Census estimates that about 4,893 living Americans carry the surname Pfeffer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 70,050 residents.
How common is Pfeffer?
Pfeffer ranks #7,521 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,267 people with the surname Pfeffer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,893), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Pfeffer.
Has Pfeffer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pfeffer went from 4,400 recorded bearers to 4,267. That is a decrease of 133 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,554 to #7,521.
What does the Census say about the background of Pfeffer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pfeffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pfeffer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (3,936 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pfeffer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (4.1%), Two or More Races (2.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Pfeffer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Pfeffer mean?
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a pepper merchant or spice dealer. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Pfeffer (1.43 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Pfeffer?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.