2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Seifers
A surname of German origin, possibly an occupational name referring to a maker of sieves or strainers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Seifers. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Seifers 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Seifers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Seifers, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Seifers
The surname Seifers is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Bavaria, where it was initially spelled as "Seifer" or "Seyfer." The name is derived from the German word "Seife," which means "soap," suggesting a connection to the soap-making trade or profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seifers can be found in the baptismal records of St. Michael's Church in Munich, dating back to the year 1587. The entry mentions a certain Hans Seyfer, who was a soap maker by trade. This historical reference provides valuable insight into the origins of the name and its association with the soap-making industry.
As the Seifers family spread across different regions of Germany, variations in the spelling of the name began to emerge. Some notable examples include Seyfers, Seyfer, and Seifert. These variations reflect the regional dialects and local pronunciations of the name.
In the 17th century, the name Seifers gained prominence in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the state of Bavaria. Records from this period indicate that a family of Seifers soap makers had established a successful business in the town, contributing to its economic and cultural heritage.
One noteworthy individual bearing the surname Seifers was Johann Seifers (1648-1721), a renowned soap maker from Rothenburg ob der Tauber. His innovative techniques and high-quality products earned him a reputation that extended beyond the town's borders.
Another prominent figure was Katharina Seifers (1702-1778), a businesswoman and philanthropist from Nuremberg. She inherited her father's soap-making business and expanded it into a prosperous enterprise. Katharina was also known for her charitable works, supporting orphanages and education initiatives in her community.
In the 19th century, the Seifers family began to spread across Europe and beyond. Peter Seifers (1821-1898), a soap maker from Stuttgart, emigrated to the United States in the mid-1800s, seeking new opportunities in the burgeoning American market. He established a successful soap-making business in Philadelphia, which was later continued by his descendants.
Another notable individual was Friedrich Seifers (1856-1932), a German chemist and entrepreneur. He pioneered new methods for soap production and founded the Seifers Soap Company in Berlin, which became a leading manufacturer of high-quality soaps and cosmetics in Europe.
While the surname Seifers may have originated from humble beginnings in the soap-making trade, it has since become a name associated with innovation, entrepreneurship, and a strong work ethic across various fields and industries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Seifers
Among Census respondents with the surname Seifers, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Seifers 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 Seifers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Seifers
Seifers 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-11 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 21,896 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+12 bearers (+11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,491 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 21,896 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.9%) | Up 12,491 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 Seifers 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 | #159,712 | #147,221 | 7.8% |
| Count | 101 | 113 | 11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 26.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Seifers bearers went from 101 to 113 (+11.9% change). The surname moved up 12,491 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #147,221.
FAQ
Seifers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Seifers?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Seifers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Seifers?
Seifers ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Seifers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Seifers.
Has Seifers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Seifers went from 101 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 12 (+11.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Seifers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Seifers, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Seifers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Seifers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Seifers (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 Seifers mean?
A surname of German origin, possibly an occupational name referring to a maker of sieves or strainers. 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 Seifers (0.04 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 people have the last name Seifers?
You can see how common the surname Seifers is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.