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

Pottorff, 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 Pottorff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pottorff in America

Pottorff is the 22892nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pottorff surname appeared 1,118 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 Pottorff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pottorff 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 Pottorff

The surname Pottorff has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the German words "Pott" meaning "pot" and "Orf" meaning "place or town," indicating that the name likely originated from a place known for its pottery-making or where potters resided.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Pottorff can be found in various German records and documents from the late 1500s and early 1600s. One notable mention is in the church records of the town of Darmstadt in the state of Hesse, where a family by the name of Pottorff is registered in 1612.

As the surname spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Pottorf, Pottorff, and Potterff. Some of these variations were likely influenced by regional dialects or transcription errors in official records.

The first known bearer of the Pottorff name to migrate to North America was Johann Michael Pottorff, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1749, fleeing religious persecution in Germany. His descendants went on to establish roots in various parts of the United States, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

Notable individuals with the surname Pottorff throughout history include:

1. Heinrich Pottorff (1585-1642), a German potter and businessman from Nuremberg, known for his innovative glazing techniques.
2. Johann Wilhelm Pottorff (1730-1802), a German-American farmer and miller who settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in the mid-18th century.
3. Sarah Pottorff (1794-1872), an American midwife and herbalist from Ohio, known for her extensive knowledge of traditional remedies.
4. Christian Pottorff (1820-1895), a German-American Civil War veteran who served in the Union Army's 52nd Ohio Infantry Regiment.
5. Wilhelm Pottorff (1862-1938), a German-American architect and designer, known for his contributions to the Beaux-Arts style in Indianapolis, Indiana.

While the Pottorff surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the German and German-American experience, with connections to the pottery industry, migration, and various notable individuals who have left their mark across different fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pottorff

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

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

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

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