Explore the Family Name Kaufman
The meaning of Kaufman
1. Americanized form of German Kaufmann, and a variant of the same Jewish surname. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the personal name Kaufman meaning ‘merchant’. Compare Koyfman 2. 3. Polish, Czech, Slovak, and Slovenian: of German origin (see 1 above), often applied as a translation into German of corresponding Slavic occupational names or surnames. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Hyman, Meyer, Chaim, Emanuel, Moshe, Eytan, Herschel, Zvi, Ari, Aron.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kaufman in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Kaufman has seen a slight shift in popularity over the last decade. In 2000, Kaufman ranked 911th in terms of frequency among U.S. surnames, but by 2010 it had dropped to 1,007th, marking a decrease of 10.54%. However, the actual count of individuals with the Kaufman surname increased marginally from 34,786 in 2000 to 34,844 in 2010, an uptick of just 0.17%. The proportion per 100,000 people also dipped slightly from 12.9 to 11.81, which represents an 8.45% decline.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #911 | #1,007 | -10.54% |
| Count | 34,786 | 34,844 | 0.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.9 | 11.81 | -8.45% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kaufman
When it comes to ethnic identity, the 2010 Decennial U.S. Census shows some interesting shifts within the Kaufman surname group. The percentage identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander grew by 23.91%, and those reporting two or more races increased by 21.51%. The largest growth was observed among those identifying as Hispanic, jumping from 1.29% to 2.04%, a significant rise of 58.14%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White still composed the majority, although their proportion declined slightly by 1.25%. The percentage for Black increased slightly by 14.50%, while that of American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a decrease of 13.04%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.77% | 94.57% | -1.25% |
| Hispanic | 1.29% | 2.04% | 58.14% |
| Black | 1.31% | 1.5% | 14.5% |
| Two or More Races | 0.93% | 1.13% | 21.51% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.57% | 23.91% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.2% | -13.04% |
Kaufman 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 Kaufman is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 35.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (24.9%) and French & German (22.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 35.1% |
| British & Irish | 24.9% |
| French & German | 22.4% |
| Other | 17.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Kaufman
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 Kaufman have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 58.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 58.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 58.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 58.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 58.10% |
What Kaufman 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 Kaufman 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 J-CTS5368 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schwartz, Singer, Gold, Weiss, Rosenthal, Stein, Rosenberg, Feldman, Berger, Goodman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Kaufman surname are: K1a1b1a, H1, 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 Kaufman 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.
"Kaufman" Surname 41.9%
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.
"Kaufman" Surname 24.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Kaufman" Surname 15.2%
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.
"Kaufman" Surname 16.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Kaufman?
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 Kaufman are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition