Show ContentsKaufman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Kaufman family

The surname Kaufman was first found in Hanover, where the name could be considered to have made a great contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of modern Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses. They played important roles in the local and national conflicts at a time when groups sought power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Kaufman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kaufman research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1444, 1469, 1530, 1679, 1735, 1753, 1773, 1795 and 1805 are included under the topic Early Kaufman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kaufman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kaufmann, Kaufman, Kauffmann, Kauffman, Kofmann and many more.

Early Notables of the Kaufman family

More information is included under the topic Early Kaufman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kaufman Ranking

In the United States, the name Kaufman is the 944th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 1


United States Kaufman migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kaufman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Kaufman, who arrived in America in 1749
Kaufman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Abraham Kaufman, aged 25, who landed in America from Lukawic, Galicia, in 1893
  • Abram Kaufman, aged 32, who landed in America from Wilna, Germany, in 1893
  • Alina Kaufman, aged 54, who landed in America, in 1894
Kaufman Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alfred Kaufman, aged 39, who immigrated to the United States from Switzerland, in 1903
  • Abram Kaufman, aged 10, who landed in America from Bucarest, Roumania, in 1906
  • Ada Kaufman, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States from Berlin, Germany, in 1907
  • Alexander Kaufman, aged 19, who settled in America from Aleksander, Russia, in 1908
  • Abrahm Kaufman, aged 6, who immigrated to the United States from Witebsk, Russia, in 1910
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kaufman (post 1700) +

  • Irving Robert Kaufman (1910-1992), United States Federal judge and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • George S Kaufman (1889-1961), American Pulitzer Prize (1937) winning playwright
  • First Sergeant Benjamin Kaufman (1894-1981), American Army soldier awarded the Medal of Honor and the Croix de Guerre
  • Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (1949-1984), American comedian and actor who began his career by starting his act with an outrageously bad performance and would then launch into an Elvis Presley impersonation so good that Elvis Presley himself described it as his favorite
  • Andy Kaufman (1949-1984), American comedian and actor
  • Philip Kaufman (b. 1936), multiple award-winning American film director, writer, and producer perhaps best known for the movie "The Right Stuff", which won four Academy Awards, five other awards, and an additional eleven nominations. He also directed the cult classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"
  • Fred Kaufman CM FRSC KC (1924-2023), Canadian justice, lawyer, and arbitrator, Chief Justice of Quebec from 1990 to 1991
  • Mrs. Karen Kaufman M.B.E., (Karen MacKay), British Head of External Affairs for Busy Bees Childcare, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Children and Families 2
  • Nikolay Yankov Kaufman (1925-2018), Bulgarian musicologist, folklorist and composer
  • Sir Gerald Bernard Kaufman (1930-2017), British Labour politician, Father of the House of Commons (2015-2017), Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (1992-2005), Shadow Foreign Secretary (1987-1992)
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

SS Atlantic
  • Mr. Wolf Kaufman, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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