2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Soefje
A Dutch surname likely derived from a diminutive of the given name Sophie.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Soefje. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Soefje 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Soefje in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Soefje, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Soefje
The surname "SOEFJE" originates from the Netherlands, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "soef," which means "gentle" or "mild." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a calm or gentle demeanor.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname "SOEFJE" can be found in Dutch municipal records and church registers from the mid-1500s. These documents often spelled the name in various ways, such as "Soeffgen," "Soefken," or "Soefje," reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.
One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Pieter Soefje, a merchant from Amsterdam who was born in 1585. He is mentioned in trade records from the Dutch East India Company, indicating his involvement in the lucrative spice trade of that era.
In the 17th century, the "SOEFJE" name appeared in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church in the town of Leiden. Notably, Cornelis Soefje, born in 1632, was a respected member of the local community and served as a deacon in the church.
The surname also has ties to the rural areas of the Netherlands, with records showing families bearing the name "SOEFJE" living in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. One such example is Gerrit Soefje, a farmer from the village of Oosternijkerk, who was born in 1712.
During the 19th century, the "SOEFJE" name gained some prominence in the world of Dutch literature. Willem Soefje, born in 1822, was a renowned poet and playwright whose works celebrated the beauty of the Dutch countryside and traditional folk tales.
Another notable figure was Johanna Soefje, born in 1867, who was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in the Netherlands. She founded several schools for girls and played a significant role in promoting equal educational opportunities for women.
While the surname "SOEFJE" is not among the most common Dutch surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and reflects the cultural heritage of the Netherlands. The name's origins as a descriptive nickname and its presence in various regions of the country contribute to its unique character and significance within Dutch onomastic traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Soefje
Among Census respondents with the surname Soefje, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Soefje 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 Soefje surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Soefje
Soefje appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-7 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,797 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 7,797 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 Soefje 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 | #140,157 | #147,954 | -5.6% |
| Count | 119 | 112 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Soefje bearers went from 119 to 112 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 7,797 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,954.
FAQ
Soefje surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Soefje?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Soefje. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Soefje?
Soefje ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Soefje. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Soefje.
Has Soefje become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Soefje went from 119 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Soefje?
Among Census respondents with the surname Soefje, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Soefje in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Soefje appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (5.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Soefje (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 Soefje mean?
A Dutch surname likely derived from a diminutive of the given name Sophie. 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 Soefje (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 share the surname Soefje?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.