History of your Surname
Get access to Kafer family records.Start a free trial

Kafer Family History

Kafer Name Meaning

German (Käfer): nickname from Middle High German kever(e) ‘bug beetle’ expressing liveliness of a person. Possibly an altered form of German Köfer from Low German küfe ‘hut pen’ hence a nickname for someone living in a hut.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Kater, Kapfer, Kacer, Kauer, Kaufer, Kober, Kaser, Kaper, Kamer

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Kafer family from?

You can see how Kafer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kafer family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Kafer families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 28 Kafer families living in New Jersey. This was about 20% of all the recorded Kafer's in USA. New Jersey had the highest population of Kafer families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kafer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kafer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kafer. 17% of Kafer men worked as a Farmer and 16% of Kafer women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kafer were Salesman and New Worker. .

View Census Data for Kafer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    11%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    16%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Waitress
    10%
  • New Worker
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Kafer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Kafer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kafer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kafer

Passenger Lists

There are 866 immigration records available for the last name Kafer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kafer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Kafer. For the veterans among your Kafer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kafer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kafer family history

Discover More

What is the average Kafer lifespan?

Between 1957 and 2004, in the United States, Kafer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1964, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Kafer in 1957 was 51, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kafer

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kafer family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Kafer last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial