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

Westhoff, 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 Westhoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westhoff in America

Westhoff is the 14105th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westhoff surname appeared 2,131 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Westhoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westhoff 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 Westhoff

The surname Westhoff originated in Germany, most likely during the 12th or 13th century. It is a locational name, derived from the region of Westhofen, a town in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The name can be traced back to the Old German words "west" meaning "west" and "hofen" meaning "homestead" or "settlement".

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Westhoff can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Nassoicus, a collection of historical documents from the County of Nassau, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by that time.

In the 14th century, a family bearing the name Westhoff is mentioned in the records of the city of Cologne. This indicates that the name had spread from its place of origin and had become associated with prominent families in urban centers.

During the 16th century, a notable figure named Johann Westhoff (1516-1595) was a respected jurist and legal scholar in the city of Heidelberg. His works on Roman law and legal philosophy were widely studied and influential during the Renaissance period.

Another historical figure with the surname Westhoff was Friedrich Westhoff (1768-1842), a German painter and engraver who was born in Düsseldorf. His works, primarily landscapes and portraits, were exhibited in various galleries across Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In the 19th century, a notable botanist named Friedrich Westhoff (1838-1895) made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and ecology. He conducted extensive research on the flora of Germany and published several important works on the subject.

The name Westhoff has also been associated with various locations and place names throughout Germany, such as Westhoffener Straße (Westhoff Street) in Berlin and Westhoffener Park (Westhoff Park) in Cologne.

Throughout its history, the surname Westhoff has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, scientists, and individuals of notable social standing. While its origins can be traced back to a specific region in Germany, the name has since spread across the country and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westhoff

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

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

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

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