Find out how popular the last name Treffinger is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Treffinger.

Treffinger, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Treffinger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Treffinger in America

Treffinger is the 84136th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Treffinger surname appeared 223 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Treffinger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Treffinger to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Treffinger

The surname Treffinger originates from the German language and can be traced back to the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century. It likely emerged in regions of modern-day Germany, particularly in areas where the Alemannic German dialect was spoken.

Treffinger is believed to be derived from the German word "treffen," meaning "to meet" or "to encounter." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone's occupation or role, potentially a messenger or a gatherer who brought people together.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Treffinger surname can be found in the Würzburg region of Bavaria, where a merchant named Hans Treffinger was mentioned in a document from 1423. This document details a trade agreement between local guilds and provides insight into the economic activities of the time.

In the 16th century, the Treffinger name appeared in various records across southern Germany. Notably, a woodcarver named Johann Treffinger (1508-1570) gained recognition for his intricate works adorning churches and monasteries in the region around Stuttgart.

As the Treffinger family spread across German-speaking lands, variations in spelling emerged, such as Treffinger, Trefinger, and Trefringer. These variations reflect regional linguistic differences and the inconsistent record-keeping practices of the era.

During the 17th century, a prominent figure named Christoph Treffinger (1629-1693) rose to prominence as a respected theologian and educator. He served as the rector of the prestigious Thomasschule in Leipzig and was widely published on topics of philosophy and religion.

In the late 18th century, Johann Michael Treffinger (1766-1837) made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. Born in Württemberg, he was a professor at the University of Tübingen and authored several influential texts on calculus and geometry.

Another notable individual with the Treffinger surname was the German-American businessman and philanthropist, Wilhelm Treffinger (1835-1921). After emigrating to the United States, he established a successful brewing company and became a prominent figure in the German-American community of Cincinnati.

As the Treffinger family continued to disperse throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the name appeared in various regions, including parts of Switzerland, Austria, and even as far as Russia and the United States, carried by German settlers and emigrants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Treffinger

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Treffinger.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Treffinger was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Treffinger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Treffinger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Treffinger, please contact us.

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