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

Puffer, 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 Puffer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Puffer in America

Puffer is the 15595th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Puffer surname appeared 1,875 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Puffer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Puffer 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 Puffer

The surname Puffer is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word "pfuffen," which means "to blow or puff." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with bellows or engaged in activities that involved blowing or puffing.

In the 16th century, the name Puffer can be found in various German records, including church registers and tax rolls. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the town of Nürnberg, where a certain Hans Puffer was listed as a resident in the year 1542.

As the name spread across different regions of Germany, variations in spelling began to emerge. Some of these variations include Pfeuffer, Pfuffer, and Pfufer. These variations often reflected regional dialects and local pronunciations.

In the 17th century, the name Puffer began to appear in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. One notable figure from this period was Johann Puffer, a German-born silversmith who settled in Amsterdam in the 1670s and became renowned for his intricate metalwork designs.

The 18th century saw the Puffer name spread further across Europe and even to the Americas. In 1789, a certain Wilhelm Puffer was recorded as having immigrated to Pennsylvania from the German Palatinate region. He went on to establish a successful farming community in the area.

Other notable individuals with the Puffer surname include Johann Puffer (1716-1785), a German composer and organist, and Friedrich Puffer (1835-1904), a German architect who was responsible for designing several prominent buildings in Berlin.

As the centuries progressed, the Puffer name continued to be found in various parts of the world, with descendants settling in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. While the name may have originated as an occupational surname, it has since become a more widespread family name, carrying with it a rich history and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Puffer

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

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

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

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