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

Roffman, 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 Roffman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Roffman in America

Roffman is the 55741st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Roffman surname appeared 368 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 Roffman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Roffman 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 Roffman

The surname Roffman originated in Germany, with roots that can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "roffe," which referred to a type of coarse woolen fabric, combined with the occupational suffix "man." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of this fabric.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Roffman name can be found in the town records of Nuremberg, dating back to the late 1500s. Here, the name appeared as "Roffmann," likely reflecting the local dialect and spelling variations common during that era. Additionally, there are references to individuals with the name Roffman in various church records from the Rhineland region of Germany in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Roffman name gained prominence with the birth of Johann Christoph Roffman (1719-1793), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Göttingen. His contributions to the field of law and jurisprudence earned him recognition throughout the academic circles of his time.

Another notable figure bearing the Roffman surname was Theodor Roffman (1807-1878), a German composer and music educator. Born in Berlin, Roffman is credited with composing several operas and choral works, as well as serving as a music teacher to members of the Prussian royal family.

The 19th century saw the migration of many Roffman families from Germany to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One such individual was Wilhelm Roffman (1842-1912), a German-American businessman who founded the Roffman Brewing Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, which became a prominent local brewery in the late 1800s.

Closer to the modern era, Hans Roffman (1901-1985) was a German-born American physicist who made significant contributions to the field of optics and spectroscopy. He held positions at various universities and research institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the National Bureau of Standards.

Throughout its history, the Roffman surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Rofman, Roffmann, and Roffmann, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic changes over time. While the name originated in Germany, it has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of Roffman families who have left their mark in diverse fields and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Roffman

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

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

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

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