Sonnenfeld
A German surname derived from a combination of "Sonne" (sun) and "Feld" (field), possibly referring to someone living in a sunny field or working land exposed to the sun.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 514 Americans carry the last name Sonnenfeld. That puts it at #48,800 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 666,837 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sonnenfeld surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
514
1 in 666,837
Census rank
#48,800
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
432
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 432 bearers of the surname Sonnenfeld in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48800th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sonnenfeld, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sonnenfeld
The surname Sonnenfeld is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German words "sunne" meaning sun and "velt" meaning field or open land. It likely emerged in the late medieval period, referring to someone who lived near a sunny field or meadow.
One of the earliest known references to the name Sonnenfeld dates back to a 1487 document from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, which mentions a "Hans Sonnenfeldt." This suggests the name was already well-established in southern Germany by the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, records show a Sonnenfeld family living in the village of Oberderdingen near Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg. A 1558 church register lists the birth of a son named Georg to parents Claus and Anna Sonnenfeld.
The variant spelling "Sonnenfelt" appears in a 1612 tax record from the town of Geislingen an der Steige in Baden-Württemberg, indicating the name had spread to other parts of southwestern Germany by the early 1600s.
One notable early bearer of the surname was Johann Philipp Sonnenfeld, a Lutheran theologian born in Wertheim am Main in 1662. He served as a pastor and published several religious texts before his death in 1724.
In the 18th century, the name Sonnenfeld can be found in records from Bavaria, Saxony, and other German states. Johann Georg Sonnenfeld (1720-1798) was a master baker and citizen of the Free Imperial City of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
As the name spread, variations like Sonnenfelde, Sonnenfeldt, and Sonnenveld emerged, likely influenced by local dialects and scribes' spelling preferences. Anna Margaretha Sonnenfelde (1754-1832) was a resident of Michelbach an der Bilz in Baden-Württemberg.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sonnenfeld
Among Census respondents with the surname Sonnenfeld, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sonnenfeld bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Sonnenfeld surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.1%
- Unknown or suppressed2.5%
- Two or more races1.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sonnenfeld surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #49,057 | #48,800 | 0.5% |
| Count | 403 | 432 | 7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Sonnenfeld bearers went from 403 to 432 (+7.2% change). The surname moved up 257 positions in the national ranking, going from #49,057 to #48,800.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sonnenfeld
FAQ
Sonnenfeld surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sonnenfeld?
The surname Sonnenfeld holds position #48,800 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 514 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sonnenfeld surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sonnenfeld, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.