Kaufman

Kaufman is a surname of German origin, from Kaufmann meaning merchant or trader. The spelling has many variants, including Kaufmann, Kauffman, and Kauffmann. The name is common among German and Ashkenazi Jewish communities and spread to the United States and other countries through immigration.

In geographic names, Kaufman appears in the United States as Kaufman, Texas, a city in and the county seat of Kaufman County; Kaufman County lies east of Dallas.

Notable people with the surname include Philip Kaufman, an American film director known for The Right Stuff and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. The name appears across various fields and regions, reflecting its broad ethnic and linguistic origins.

Variant spellings and related surnames include Kaufmann and Kauffman, which are often treated as the same name in different regions or families.