Explore the Family Name Rufer

The meaning of Rufer

German: occupational name for a town crier or a nickname for a street vendor, from Middle High German ruofære, rüefære ‘(town) crier’. Some characteristic forenames: German Ewald, Fritz, Hans, Heinz, Markus.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Rufer in the United States?

According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Rufer' has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of 'Rufer' in terms of frequency amongst all surnames in the United States shifted from 49,057th in 2000 to 50,275th in 2010, marking a decrease of approximately 2.48%. However, the total count of individuals bearing the 'Rufer' surname increased by about 3.23% over this period, from 403 in 2000 to 416 in 2010. Despite this increase, the proportion of 'Rufers' per 100,000 people decreased by 6.67%, moving from 0.15 to 0.14.

20002010Change
Rank#49,057#50,275-2.48%
Count4034163.23%
Proportion per 100k0.150.14-6.67%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rufer

With regards to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the ethnic identity associated with the Rufer surname largely remained stable between 2000 and 2010. In both years, a significant majority of those with the 'Rufer' surname identified as White, with proportions of 97.77% in 2000 and 97.60% in 2010. There was no recorded change in the percentage of 'Rufers' who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native, as these categories were reported at 0% for both years.

20002010Change
White97.77%97.6%-0.17%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races0%0%0%
Hispanic0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%