2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Theroff
A variant spelling of a surname derived from the Old French word "therour" meaning treasury official or tax collector.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Theroff. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Theroff 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Theroff in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Theroff, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Theroff
The surname THEROFF originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "ther," meaning "that" or "those," combined with the suffix "-off," which was commonly used to denote a place of origin or residence. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a particular location or landmark described by the root word "ther."
One of the earliest known mentions of the THEROFF name can be found in the records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconian region of Bavaria. A document dated 1487 lists a certain Hans THEROFF as a resident of the town, indicating that the name had already been established in the area by that time.
As the THEROFF family spread across Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as THEROF, THEROFF, and THEROFF. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record-keepers. Despite these spelling differences, the name's pronunciation remained relatively consistent.
In the 16th century, the THEROFF name appeared in several historical records, including the chronicles of the city of Nuremberg. A notable figure from this period was Johann THEROFF (1520-1587), a respected scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg, where he taught alongside the renowned reformer Martin Luther.
Another prominent figure bearing the THEROFF surname was Friedrich THEROFF (1678-1741), a German architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in the Baroque style, including the Schloss Bruchsal in Baden-Württemberg and the Alter Hof in Munich.
In the 19th century, a branch of the THEROFF family established itself in the United States, with many members settling in the Midwest and Great Plains regions. One notable American of this lineage was William THEROFF (1829-1907), a farmer and community leader who served as the mayor of the town of Fredericksburg, Iowa, from 1879 to 1881.
As the THEROFF name spread across the globe, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and beyond. In the late 19th century, a Dutch explorer named Hendrik THEROFF (1843-1898) gained recognition for his expeditions through the jungles of Borneo and his detailed accounts of the indigenous cultures he encountered.
Throughout its history, the THEROFF surname has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, from scholars and architects to farmers and explorers. While its origins can be traced back to the German heartland, the name has since become a part of the rich tapestry of surnames found around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Theroff
Among Census respondents with the surname Theroff, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Theroff 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 Theroff surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.2% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Theroff
Theroff 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,352 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-11 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,231 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Down 1,352 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 10,231 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 Theroff 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 | #142,108 | #152,339 | -7.2% |
| Count | 117 | 106 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Theroff bearers went from 117 to 106 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 10,231 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #152,339.
FAQ
Theroff surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Theroff?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Theroff. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Theroff?
Theroff ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Theroff. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Theroff.
Has Theroff become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Theroff went from 117 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Theroff?
Among Census respondents with the surname Theroff, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Theroff in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.2% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Theroff appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.2%), Hispanic (1.9%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Theroff (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 Theroff mean?
A variant spelling of a surname derived from the Old French word "therour" meaning treasury official or tax collector. 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 Theroff (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 Theroff?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.