2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Uffer
Potentially derived from a topographic term for a dweller on a hill or ridge.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Uffer. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Uffer 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Uffer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Uffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Uffer
The surname "UFFER" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "uffera," which means "upper" or "higher," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived at a higher elevation or in an upland area.
One of the earliest known references to the name UFFER can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders and their possessions compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Uffere" and "Ufre," indicating its long history and regional variations.
During the 13th century, the name UFFER was recorded in several historical documents, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire and the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. These records provide insights into the geographical distribution of the name and its association with specific locations or landholdings.
One notable bearer of the UFFER surname was Sir John Uffer, a prominent English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and was a staunch supporter of the House of Lancaster.
Another individual of historical significance was William Uffer, a renowned clockmaker from London who lived in the 17th century. His name is associated with several notable timepieces, including a longcase clock that is currently housed in the Museum of London.
In the 18th century, the UFFER surname appeared in various parish records and court documents across England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. This suggests that the name had spread and established itself in different regions of the country.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name UFFER in the United States can be traced back to the late 17th century, when John Uffer, a settler from England, arrived in Virginia. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the American colonies.
Throughout the centuries, the UFFER surname has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, trade, and craftsmanship. While not a particularly widespread name, it has left its mark on the historical records of England and other regions where bearers of this name have settled and contributed to their communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Uffer
Among Census respondents with the surname Uffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Uffer 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 Uffer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino7.6% · 8
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Uffer
Uffer 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+20 bearers (+18.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,771 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-22 bearers (-17.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,941 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +20 bearers (+18.7%) | Up 9,771 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-17.3%) | Down 19,941 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 Uffer 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 | #133,048 | #152,989 | -15.0% |
| Count | 127 | 105 | -17.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Uffer bearers went from 127 to 105 (-17.3% change). The surname moved down 19,941 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #152,989.
FAQ
Uffer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Uffer?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Uffer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Uffer?
Uffer ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Uffer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Uffer.
Has Uffer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Uffer went from 127 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 22 (-17.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Uffer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Uffer, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.6%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Uffer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (91 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Uffer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Hispanic (7.6%), Black (2.9%). 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 Uffer (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 Uffer mean?
Potentially derived from a topographic term for a dweller on a hill or ridge. 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 Uffer (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 Uffer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.