Kaufmann came from a prominent local family, whose members had served in both the city government and service of the former
Elector of Cologne. He was also related to the painter
Andreas Müller.
At the
University of Bonn, he studied law, languages, and history. In 1844, Kaufmann was appointed to teach Prince Karl von
Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, who made him keeper of the
Wertheim archives in 1850. Kaufmann would retain this post until his death.