Explore the Family Name Kauffman
The meaning of Kauffman
Americanized form of German Kaufmann, and a variant of the same Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname. Compare Kaufman. History: As a name of Swiss German origin, originally spelled Kaufmann (see 1 above), the surname Kauffman is very common among the American Mennonites and Amish; variants, such as Kaufman and Coffman, are also found. The main progenitors of the Mennonite bearers of this name were of Swiss ancestry, but came to PA (Lancaster and Berks counties) from the Palatinate, Germany, in the 18th century. Later Mennonite immigrants bearing this name came to the US also from Galicia and Volhynia in Eastern Europe.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kauffman in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Kauffman has seen a slight decrease in ranking from 1602 in 2000 to 1606 in 2010, indicating a minor drop in its prevalence. Despite this dip in rank, the count of individuals bearing this surname increased by 8.64 percent over the decade, escalating from 20,576 to 22,353. The proportion of those named Kauffman per 100k people also experienced a slight decrease of 0.66 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,602 | #1,606 | -0.25% |
| Count | 20,576 | 22,353 | 8.64% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.63 | 7.58 | -0.66% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kauffman
The ethnic identity tied to the Kauffman surname exhibits a diverse composition according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority identified as White, accounting for 96.91 percent, and though this group remained the majority in 2010, it saw a marginal decrease to 95.92 percent. Notably, the Hispanic representation within the Kauffman name bearers rose by 63.81 percent over the decade, although they only comprised 1.72 percent of the total in 2010. Other ethnic identities such as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native slightly increased their proportions, while the group identifying with two or more races observed a 19.10 percent increase from 2000 to 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.91% | 95.92% | -1.02% |
| Hispanic | 1.05% | 1.72% | 63.81% |
| Two or More Races | 0.89% | 1.06% | 19.1% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.61% | 17.31% |
| Black | 0.46% | 0.51% | 10.87% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.17% | 0.19% | 11.76% |
Kauffman ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Kauffman is French & German, which comprises 42.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (30.7%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (9.0%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.4% |
| British & Irish | 30.7% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 9.0% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Kauffman
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Kauffman have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 72.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 72.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 72.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 72.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 71.90% |
What Kauffman haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Kauffman is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS2509 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Funk, Blocker, Brink, Garland, Landers, Millard, Emmons, Rowley, Bradshaw, Ratliff.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kauffman surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Kauffman have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Kauffman" Surname 45.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Kauffman" Surname 25.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kauffman" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Kauffman" Surname 16.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kauffman?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Kauffman are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition