Explore the Family Name Klopfer
The meaning of Klopfer
South German (also Klöpfer) and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from Middle High German klopfære, German Klo(e)pfer, a noun derivative of Middle High German klopfen ‘to pound, bang, or hammer’. This could denote someone working in the wool, hemp, or millinery trades, a miner, metal worker, or hunter. For Jews it can also refer to the occupation of one who knocks calling people to synagogue, called shulkloper, shulkleper in Yiddish, Germanized to Schulklopfer. Some characteristic forenames: German Ulrike, Erwin, Hans, Kurt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Klopfer in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Klopfer' saw a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 28,142nd most common in the United States, but by 2010, its rank had slipped to 29,626th, marking a negative change of 5.27%. Likewise, the count of individuals with this surname also slightly dropped from 801 to 795 during the same period, indicating a minimal decline of 0.75%. The proportion of Klopfer per 100,000 people in the population also diminished by 10% over these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #28,142 | #29,626 | -5.27% |
| Count | 801 | 795 | -0.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.3 | 0.27 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Klopfer
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts among those bearing the surname 'Klopfer' between 2000 and 2010. Predominantly, the surname was associated with White ethnicity (96.88% in 2000 and 95.35% in 2010). However, there were noticeable increases in representation among Hispanic and those who identify with two or more races. The proportion of Hispanic individuals with this surname grew significantly (168%) from 0.75% in 2000 to 2.01% in 2010. Those identifying with two or more races also increased from 1.12% to 1.64%, a growth rate of 46.43%. In contrast, no Klopfer identified as Black, Asian/Pacific Islander (until 2010 where it had a small representation of 0.88%), or American Indian and Alaskan Native according to both census years' data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.88% | 95.35% | -1.58% |
| Hispanic | 0.75% | 2.01% | 168% |
| Two or More Races | 1.12% | 1.64% | 46.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.88% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |