Surname Haufer - Meaning and Origin
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Haufer: What does the surname Haufer mean?
The surname Haufer, pronounced “HOW-fer”, is of Germanic origin and likely derived from the words hau or ho, meaning “wood” or “heath” and fer, meaning “ferry” or “ford”. It is believed to have originated as a topographical name for someone who lived by a wooded or heathy area where a river could be forded.
The surname first appears in the records during the 12th century in various places in Bavaria, Germany, and has since spread around the world. Variations in spelling of the surname include Hauer, Hauger, Howar, Hower, and Howier.
The earliest known recorded example of the surname comes from the Hessian Tax Register of 1722, in which a Johannes Hauper appears. Other early examples of the surname appear in records from the Bavarian region.
The earliest occurrence of the surname in the United States dates from the mid- nineteenth century when two Haufer immigrants settled in Texas. Other migrants with the Haufer surname appear to have come from Bavaria and settled in various parts of the United States, particularly New York and Minnesota.
Today, the Haufer surname is present in many countries around the world. The 2020 estimate of the population of people bearing the last name is just over 12,000, with the vast majority of these people living in the United States.
Order DNA origin analysisHaufer: Where does the name Haufer come from?
The last name Haufer is a German surname with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word “hauf” which means “large pile”. The Haufer surname has seen all over the world since the 18th century when many Germans began migrating to other countries.
Today, the last name Haufer is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. In Germany it is most common in the southern parts such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the Rhineland. In the U.S the surname is most commonly seen in the Midwest, particularly in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Overall, the last name Haufer is becoming increasingly rare, as it is not a very common name even in the countries it is most popular. It is estimated that there are less than 5,000 individuals in the world who bear the surname, with the majority of them located in Germany and the United States.
Variations of the surname Haufer
Haufer is a German surname, primarily used in central Europe, that derived from the German verb, hauen, which means "to fell" or "to chop," and is often spelled as Hauer or Hauerin. The German surname variation is often found in the form of Hofhauer, after the formal title of Hofbauer, or "farmer of the court." The surname can also be found in many different spellings in the German, Swedish, and Dutch languages including; Haaf, Haf, Hafen, Haffner, Hauffen, Haug, Haugen, Hauger, Haugner, Haver, Hober, Hoffer, Hofferber, Hofferbert, Hoffmann, Hoven, and Huber.
Outside of Europe, the Haufer surname has also been found in various forms such as; Hofer, Hoffer, Hower, and Howie. The English alternative spellings of Haufer are Haaf, Haf, Hafen, however, the more common variants are Hower and Howie. In Scotland, the Haufer surname is also often given the surname of Hawe and Howie.
Haufer is also rarely used as a given first name and the female variant of the name is Havvah, meaning “life".
Overall, the surname Haufer can be found in many different variations throughout Europe and beyond, however, the most commonly used variants are; Hauer, Hoffer, and Howie.
Famous people with the name Haufer
- Robert Haufer: an American environmental engineer and academic. He was a dedicated advocate for sustainable energy and supported clean energy policies.
- Kelly Haufer: an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actress. She was the vocalist for the rock band Wild Blooms and released her debut solo album in 2018.
- Jay Haufer: an American film producer and executive, who is best known for producing films such as Spider-Man 3 and The Dark Knight Rises.
- Erastus Haufer: an American politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 10th District from 1863 to 1867.
- Charles Haufer: a Swiss-born art historian and dealer who heavily contributed to the modern art world. He was the first to introduce avant-garde “Modern” Russian art to the United States.
- Wolfgang Haufer: a German artist, painter, and architect whose art has been showcased in worldwide galleries, including at the Museum of Art in Basel.
- Christian Haufer: a German academic and piano teacher, who has been teaching at the Music Academy in Frankfurt since 1992.
- Sam Haufer: a popular YouTube personality and creator from Pennsylvania. He started a gaming channel in 2012 and has since accumulated over 400k subscribers.
- René Haufer: a Swiss politician and former Member of the Swiss Council of States, representing the Canton of Geneva between 1999 and 2011.
- Stephen Haufer: an Australian aerial cinematographer. His work includes documentaries, short films, and feature films, and his team operates a fleet of drone cameras, cameras and remotely operated vehicle systems.