Surname Hoeffer - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Hoeffer: What does the surname Hoeffer mean?
The last name Hoeffer is of German origin and is derived from the Gothic personal name Hoffer, which in turn is derived from the Old High German word “hoba” meaning someone who picks hop or is employed in hop cultivation. It is predominantly found in the Southern German region. The name was taken on when some of the first holders of the name emigrated from Germany to other parts of Europe, particularly to the United States of America in the 19th century.
The name has various spellings, as it has been adapted to sound more phonetically correct in various other languages. The most common variants of the name are Hoeffer, Hoefer, Hoefer, and Hofer.
Other than the hop farming origin, the name could also refer to a keeper of a hof or court, which was a type of medieval trading area where goods and services were exchanged. This is a less likely origin of the name, however.
The name Hoeffer is relatively common in different parts of the world and is a proud symbol of German heritage. Variants of the name are found in many countries, particularly North America and South America. It is also an important part of many family trees, as the name has been consistently passed down from one generation to the next in many parts of Europe and the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHoeffer: Where does the name Hoeffer come from?
The last name Hoeffer is of German origin and is most common in the central and eastern regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria and Saxony. It is also common in Austria, Switzerland, and certain areas of Poland.
Those with the name Hoeffer tend to be concentrated in large cities, particularly Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Smaller towns such as Lübeck, Erfurt, and Oberhessen also possess a substantial Hoeffer presence. The surname is less common in the United States and Canada, but can still be found in major cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto.
According to the United States Census of 2000, there were around 169 people with the surname Hoeffer living in the United States. The name can now be found throughout the country, but is particularly common in the Midwest states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
The surname Hoeffer appears frequently in records of German, Swiss, and Austrian emigrants to the United States and the Americas, suggesting that those bearing the name today are descended from German settlers in the 16th century. It is likely that the name will continue to be passed down through future generations.
Variations of the surname Hoeffer
The surname Hoeffer has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Hofer, Hoffer, Hofferer, Heffer, Heffner, Hoefer, Hoefner, Hoefling, Hofler, Hoffling, Hefler, Heffling, and Hoveler. All of these spellings are derived from the old German word "Hoeffer," which means "peaceful and calm."
In the United States, the most common spelling of Hoeffer is Hofer. Variations of this spelling include Hofler, Hoffer, Hofferer, Heffer, Heffner and Hoefner. These spellings were probably adopted by immigrants who wanted an easier-to-spell version of their original surname.
In some cases, the original spelling of Hoeffer was preserved and modified to "Hoefler," a rare name found in some of the original German-speaking regions of Europe.
In France, the surname Hoeffer was often spelled "Heffner" or "Hoffner." This spelling is still found in some French documents.
In Scotland, the spelling became "Hoveler," a variation of "Hoeffer." This form of the name is still found in some parts of Scotland, especially in the highlands.
Lastly, in Austria, the spelling became "Höffner" or "Höffling," which were adopted by German-speaking immigrants to the region.
Overall, the name Hoeffer has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. All of these spellings can be found in different countries and within various ethnic cultures.
Famous people with the name Hoeffer
- Werner Hoeffer: he was an American theater organist, musical director, and arranger who worked at numerous theaters throughout the U.S. during the early- to mid-twentieth century.
- Eugene Hoeffer: he was an American electrical engineer known for his pioneering research on the use of alternating current in the telephone switchboard.
- Christoph Martius Hoeffer: a German biochemist and bacteriologist who taught at the University of Freiburg and pioneered the use of ultraviolet radiation as a disinfectant.
- Daniel J. Hoeffer: a twentieth-century American painter who focused on urban scenes, often depicting restaurants, markets and scenes of everyday life in his works.
- Johann Christoph Hoeffer: a German organist and composer who wrote over a hundred religious pieces.
- Paul Hoeffer: a French physicist who was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity.
- Emanuel Hoeffer: a nineteenth-century German oil painter and professor who specialized in landscape and animal scenes.
- Charles Auguste Hoeffer: a nineteenth-century French military officer and writer who wrote several books on the history of the Germanic people.
- Johann Hoeffer: he was a German luthier who built violins in the late eighteenth-century and early nineteenth-century.
- Maria Agnes Hoeffer: a German poet and author known for her children’s books.