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

Unkefer, 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 Unkefer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Unkefer in America

Unkefer is the 57516th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Unkefer surname appeared 354 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 Unkefer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Unkefer 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 Unkefer

The surname UNKEFER is of German origin, emerging in the late 16th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word 'unker', meaning 'our' or 'ours', combined with the word 'fer', a variant of 'vater' meaning 'father'. This suggests the name may have originated as a term of respect or endearment for an elder or patriarch within a community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name UNKEFER can be found in the church records of the town of Gerolsheim, in the Palatinate region of what is now southwestern Germany, dating back to the late 1500s. It is believed that the family may have originated in this area or nearby villages.

By the 17th century, the name had spread to other parts of Germany, as evidenced by records in various towns and cities. In 1642, a Johannes UNKEFER is mentioned in the annals of the city of Mannheim, located in the present-day state of Baden-Württemberg.

As the UNKEFER family grew and dispersed over the centuries, variations in spelling emerged, such as UNKFER, UNCKEFER, and UNCPHER. Some of these spelling variations may have been influenced by local dialects or regional pronunciations.

One notable individual bearing the UNKEFER name was Johann Georg UNKEFER, a celebrated clockmaker and inventor who lived in the town of Schwäbisch Hall, in what is now the state of Baden-Württemberg, from 1718 to 1789. His innovative clock designs and contributions to the field of timekeeping earned him widespread recognition during his lifetime.

Another significant figure was Friedrich UNKEFER, a German philosopher and writer who was born in Karlsruhe in 1792 and died in 1868. He was known for his works exploring the relationship between religion and philosophy, and his efforts to promote education and intellectual discourse.

In the 19th century, the UNKEFER name also found its way to the United States, as German immigrants sought new opportunities in the New World. One such individual was Heinrich UNKEFER, who was born in 1832 in the town of Kusel, in the Palatinate region of Germany, and later emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1856.

Throughout history, the UNKEFER surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, scholars, and entrepreneurs, among others. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark across Germany and beyond, a testament to the resilience and contributions of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Unkefer

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

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 Unkefer 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 Unkefer 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 Unkefer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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