2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Taffel
An occupational surname referring to someone who worked with tableware or plates.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Taffel. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Taffel 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Taffel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Taffel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Taffel
The surname TAFFEL is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known recordings dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "tafel," which means "table" or "board." This suggests that the name may have been occupational in origin, possibly referring to a person who worked with tables or boards, such as a carpenter or a furniture maker.
One of the earliest known references to the name TAFFEL can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg in the year 1568, where a certain Hans Taffel is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by that time.
In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. For instance, records show a Johann Taffel living in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau in 1642.
By the 18th century, the TAFFEL name had also made its way to other European countries, including the Netherlands and France. One notable figure from this period was the Dutch painter Pieter Jansz Taffel (1674-1725), who was known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
As the 19th century dawned, the TAFFEL name continued to spread across Europe and even beyond. One prominent individual was the German philosopher and writer Ludwig Taffel (1811-1896), who was known for his works on ethics and aesthetics.
Another notable TAFFEL was the Austrian playwright and novelist Arthur Taffel (1855-1920), whose works often explored social issues and the lives of the working class.
In the 20th century, the name TAFFEL gained recognition in various fields, including the arts, sciences, and politics. One example is the German-American painter and printmaker Rudolf Taffel (1892-1973), who was known for his depictions of urban landscapes and industrial scenes.
Overall, the surname TAFFEL has a rich history spanning several centuries and spanning across various regions of Europe. While its origins may have been humble, the name has been carried by many accomplished individuals throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Taffel
Among Census respondents with the surname Taffel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Taffel 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 Taffel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 105
- Two or more races6.6% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.3% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Taffel
Taffel 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,881 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+3 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 169 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 8,881 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 169 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 Taffel 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 | #141,140 | #141,309 | -0.1% |
| Count | 118 | 121 | 2.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Taffel bearers went from 118 to 121 (+2.5% change). The surname moved down 169 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #141,309.
FAQ
Taffel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Taffel?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Taffel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Taffel?
Taffel ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Taffel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Taffel.
Has Taffel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Taffel went from 118 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 3 (+2.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Taffel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Taffel, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%). 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 Taffel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Taffel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Two or More Races (6.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.3%). 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 Taffel (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 Taffel mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who worked with tableware or plates. 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 Taffel (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 Americans have the surname Taffel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.