Explore the Family Name Pfahl
The meaning of Pfahl
German: from Middle High German pfāl ‘post, stake, pile’ (early loanword from Latin palus), hence a nickname for a tall thin person, a topographic name for someone who lived by a palissade or near a post marking the village boundary or just outside a city wall, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made posts and stakes or erected them. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pfahl in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Pfahl exhibited a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 44,654th in terms of prevalence in the United States, but this rank dropped slightly by 1.88% to 45,495th in 2010. Despite this decline in rank, the actual number of individuals with this surname increased from 453 in 2000 to 470 in 2010, reflecting an increase of 3.75%. However, as a proportion out of every 100,000 people, the presence of this surname diminished by 5.88%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #44,654 | #45,495 | -1.88% |
| Count | 453 | 470 | 3.75% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.16 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pfahl
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname Pfahl, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there was no significant change recorded between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname are predominantly of White ethnicity, encompassing 96.47% in 2000 and slightly decreasing to 95.53% in 2010. The representation of Hispanic ethnicity also decreased during this period, going from 1.99% to 1.49%, marking a decline of 25.13%. Interestingly, the data for 2010 shows a small percentage (1.06%) of individuals identifying as belonging to two or more races, a category that wasn't represented in 2000. No individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.47% | 95.53% | -0.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.99% | 1.49% | -25.13% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.06% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |