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

Proffer, 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 Proffer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Proffer in America

Proffer is the 25865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Proffer surname appeared 951 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 Proffer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Proffer 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 Proffer

The surname Proffer is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "profrian," which means "to offer" or "to put forward." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a peddler or trader, offering goods for sale.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Proffer can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, which mention a Walter Profre. The surname also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, listing a John Proffer.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Proffer was concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name, such as Proffer's Green in Oxfordshire or Proffers Leaze in Wiltshire, although this connection is not definitively established.

Notable individuals with the surname Proffer throughout history include Sir Thomas Proffer (c. 1520-1594), a member of the English gentry from Gloucestershire who served as a Member of Parliament. Another early bearer of the name was William Proffer (c. 1560-1625), a wealthy merchant from Bristol who was involved in the cloth trade.

In the 17th century, the Proffer family established themselves as landowners in Wiltshire, with John Proffer (1610-1675) acquiring the estate of Compton Bassett. His son, also named John Proffer (1640-1715), was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a Justice of the Peace.

During the 18th century, the Proffer name can be found in various records from the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable individual from this period was Reverend William Proffer (1720-1785), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Winterbourne in Gloucestershire.

In the 19th century, the Proffer family continued to maintain a presence in the southwest of England, with some members pursuing careers in the military and clergy. Captain John Proffer (1810-1879) was an officer in the British Army, while his brother, Reverend Thomas Proffer (1815-1892), was a well-respected clergyman in Somerset.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Proffer

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

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

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

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