Surname Höffle - Meaning and Origin
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Höffle: What does the surname Höffle mean?
The surname Höffle is an occupational last name of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "hovel" meaning a shelter for animals, which was used to describe the profession of someone who maintained such a building. The name Höffle therefore likely once referred to a forester who looked after a shelter for animals. The name Höffle is now relatively uncommon, with the last name having existed mainly in south German areas.
As with most German surnames, the last name has evolved into a number of different spellings over time. Common variations include Hofle, Höfel, and Huffle, with more modern varieties including Hoffs and Hoffley.
Although the name is rather rare, there are still people bearing the last name Höffle living in Germany today. Many of those with the last name are now 3rd and 4th generation, and can trace their ancestry back to the original bearer of the surname. The name Höffle also survives in records from German emigrants to North America in the late 19th century.
Overall, Höffle is a rare German last name, likely derived from an occupation in forestry, which has since become passed down through the generations in Germany and beyond.
Order DNA origin analysisHöffle: Where does the name Höffle come from?
The last name Höffle is most commonly found in Germany today. It is thought to have originated in Bavaria, where records of the name can be traced back to as early as the 15th century. It is a relatively rare name, with an estimated 3,372 people in Germany bearing the name Höffle.
Most of the people with the last name Höffle still live in Bavaria today, particularly in its southwestern corner in the region of Baden-Württemberg. This area is home to the cities of Stuttgart, Ulm, Heilbronn, and Mannheim. It is not unheard of to find individuals or families with the last name Höffle living in other German regions or states, with Berlin and Hamburg being popular locations for immigrants.
The last name Höffle is also recorded in other countries around the world, including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is likely that these individuals are descendants of German immigrants who settled in these countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The spelling of the last name Höffle may vary according to the region in which it is found. In some areas, the modified spelling of Hoffle is used. In addition, records from the United States and Canada often indicate the last name as Hoffley, Huffle, or Huffley.
Variations of the surname Höffle
The surname Höffle is a German family name whose variant spellings are Hoefle, Hoffle, and Höfl. It is usually associated with the southern region of Germany.
Originally, the spelling of the surname was Höffel (or Höffeler), derived from the Low German word meaning “stomach” or “belly”, which was given to a family of farmers who lived in cities or had a lot of land.
Variations of the Höffle surname include Hoffle, Höffel, Höffele, Hoefle, Häffele, Haeffele and Häffele. Some families with the surname changed the spelling to Hoefele over the years. The Höffeler and Höffele families can trace their lineage back to the 1500s in Germany, and by the 17th and 18th centuries, had spread to the US.
Other surnames possibly derived from the same root as Höffle include Häffler, Häffling, Höfflinger, Hoefling, Houtheastern and Hofsett.
The closest modern day surname to Höffle is Hoeffle, which is an English surname predominantly found in the Southeastern United States.
Famous people with the name Höffle
- Wilhelm Höffle: German politician and Minister-President of Bavaria from 1927-1933.
- Nelson Höffle: German composer and musicologist.
- August Höffle: German politician and Minister of State for Justice in the Weimar Republic in 1921.
- Otto Höffle: German diplomat and politician. He was a long-serving diplomat and ambassador in several countries.
- Wilhelm Hubert Höffle: German firearms designer and entrepreneur. He created the first revolver to use magazine loading and firing mechanism.
- Michael Höffle: German racing cyclist and one of the most successful German athletes of the 1920s.
- Egon Höffle: German businessman and lawyer. He was a managing director of Berthold & Höffle AG.
- Johannes Höffle: German pastor and Christian social reformer. He wrote several books and essays about socio-economic issues.
- Uwe Höffle: German graphic designer and illustrator of children's books. 10.Konrad Höffle: German philosopher and psychologist. He taught at the universities of Munich and Freiburg.