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

Wolferman, 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 Wolferman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wolferman in America

Wolferman is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wolferman surname appeared 108 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 Wolferman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wolferman 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 Wolferman

The surname Wolferman originates from Germany, a country with a rich history of surnames often derived from occupations, personal characteristics, or geographic locations. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, roughly between the 12th and 15th centuries, when the practice of using fixed surnames became more common throughout Europe.

Wolferman is derived from the Middle High German elements "wolf" (meaning wolf) and "man" (meaning man). It is likely occupational or descriptive, indicating a person who worked with wolves, perhaps a hunter or a keeper of wolves, or it might have described someone with a wolf-like nature. Similar spellings from early records include Wolferman, Wolfferman, and Wolfermann, reflecting regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling during that era.

The earliest recorded instance of a variation of this surname is shown in documents from the late 13th century. For example, a record from 1297 mentions a certain Conrad Wolfermann living in the region of Thuringia. Records such as the 'lübische Urkunden' from the Hanseatic League’s documentation mention a Heinrich Wolfferman from Lübeck in 1359, indicating the name's spread in northern Germany. In 1432, the town records of Nuremberg mention a merchant by the name of Albrecht Wolfermann, demonstrating that the name was present in significant trading cities.

During the Renaissance, several individuals bearing this surname appeared in various documents. Notably, Martin Wolferman, born in 1510 and died in 1574, was a noted jurist in Augsburg. In the early 17th century, another prominent figure, Johann Wolferman, born in 1585 and died in 1630, served as a councilor in Frankfurt. These historical references not only highlight the presence of the surname but also indicate its bearers were often involved in significant social and economic activities.

By the 18th century, Wolferman had not only maintained its presence in Germany but had also spread beyond its borders due to migration and the dispersal of German-speaking populations. Friedrich Wolferman, born in 1712 and died in 1775, was a notable figure in Vienna, contributing to the early developments in music theory. Additionally, records from the early 1800s in the Prussian archives mention a military officer named Karl Wolferman, born in 1778 and died in 1845, who participated in the Napoleonic Wars.

Throughout history, the Wolferman surname has maintained a connection to German-speaking regions and has been associated with professions and roles of some distinction. The name appears to have varied slightly with regional and temporal changes in spelling but has consistently reflected a heritage tied to the Germanic linguistic and cultural tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wolferman

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

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

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

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