Surname Hockauf - Meaning and Origin

Hockauf: What does the surname Hockauf mean?

The last name Hockauf is of German origin. In German, the word "hocken" means "to crouch" or "to squat", while "auf" is a preposition meaning "on". Thus, the name Hockauf can be interpreted to mean "one who squats or crouches on something".

The family name Hockauf has been documented in Lower Saxony as far back as the 1500s. It is believed to have originally been used as a sobriquet (nickname) to describe an ancestor's physical attributes or behavior.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the name is Clarehoc Hockauf, a prominent lawyer in the German city of Hildesheim in the late 1500s. In 1613, he was admitted to the Guild of Zinn Bakers in Hildesheim, suggesting the family had roots in the city since at least the 1590s.

By the mid-1600s, the Hockauf surname had spread to a voluntary guild in the nearby city of Goslar. Members of the family had also begun establishing themselves in other parts of Germany, with members being found in East Prussia, Westphalia, and the Electorate of Palatinate.

By the 1800s, the family name had spread to the United States. Today, families bearing the Hockauf surname can be found primarily in the Midwest and the southern US.

Overall, this name has a long, distinguished history. For centuries, it has been shared by talented individuals who have made lasting contributions to their societies.

Hockauf: Where does the name Hockauf come from?

The last name Hockauf is a German family name derived from Middle High German and is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is also found elsewhere in Europe, including Finland, Romania, and the Czech Republic, due to migration from German-speaking countries.

In the United States, the Hockauf surname is not particularly common. However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, German immigrants brought the family name to the western and midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and South Dakota. Census records show that as of 2017, approximately 1,400 individuals in the United States shared the surname Hockauf.

Hockauf is more common in other parts of the world, such as Paraguay, where the name is derived from the German language spoken by Mennonites, and Brazil, where many German migrants went in the 19th and 20th centuries. As of 2017, Argentina had the highest concentration of people with the surname Hockauf, with over 4,220 individuals sharing the name.

The surname Hockauf is traditionally a family name, which means that it has been passed down through generations, with parents passing it on to their children. In Germany today, Hockauf is a relatively common surname. In 2017, Germany's population was 81 million, and around 8,000 individuals shared the Hockauf name.

Variations of the surname Hockauf

Hockauf is a German surname which is derived from the Old German terms “Huc” and “haffa” which mean ‘wood’ and ‘Thicket’ respectively. This surname is most commonly found in Germany and in the countries of Germany’s former empire. Several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin have been identified.

The variants of this surname include Hokauf, Hockoff, Hockauff, Hockhof, Hahkauf, Hahka2016 and many more. The variations in spelling can range from mere letters missing or being swapped to changed lettering of the same name. For example, the spelling variants as ‘Hokauff’ or ‘Hockoof’.

In Germany, this surname may appear under different regional dialects or spellings. For example, the surname may be found as ‘Hokualf’ in Austria, ‘Hockauvl’ in the Netherlands and ‘Hockev’ in western Germany.

Surnames of the same origin include ‘Haken’, ‘Hakengraf’, ‘Hochoff’, ‘Hockenberger’ and ‘Hochhausen’. Interestingly, many of these surnames do not necessarily originate from the same area as the Hockauf surname. For instance, ‘Haken’ originates from the Dutch language and is used in both Germany and the Netherlands, whilst ‘Hochhausen’ is common throughout Germany, but not necessarily in the Netherlands.

Given its large range of variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin, it is difficult to trace the specific origin and development of the Hockauf surname. However, given its popularity throughout Germany and Germany’s former empire, it is likely that the surname was quite prolific in the past and has thus had a considerable impact on many areas of Europe.

Famous people with the name Hockauf

• Richard Hockauf: Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
• Mike Hockauf: American singer and songwriter.
• Alan Hockauf: Former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
• John Hockauf: Former professional basketball player.
• Henry Hockauf: American politician and member of the Wyoming House of Representatives.
• Ervin Hockauf: Former American professional golfer.
• Joanne Hockauf: American television producer and writer.
• Jessica Hockauf: American film director and screenwriter.
• Fred Hockauf: American landscape painter and sculptor.

Other surnames

Hockauff