Surname Hofmayr - Meaning and Origin
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Hofmayr: What does the surname Hofmayr mean?
The last name Hofmayr is an Austrian surname of German and German-Swiss origin. It is a hereditary nickname derived from the old German compound ‘haufman’, meaning ‘merchant’ or ‘trader’. Alternatively, it is also a variation of the German surname ‘Hoffman’, from the German ‘hoveman’, meaning ‘farm manager’.
Subsequently, the surname has come to imply good business sense, and is popular amongst merchants and traders, both in Austria and around the world. The surname is also found in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and republics of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, as the name may have been transported to different countries when members of the family moved abroad.
People with the last name Hofmayr tend to stand out for their admirable business acumen and dedication to entrepreneurship and the familyname carries strong historical resonances. It suggests the endurance of old family values of hard work, commitment and success and loyalty to one's roots.
Order DNA origin analysisHofmayr: Where does the name Hofmayr come from?
The last name Hofmayr is primarily associated with Central and Eastern Europe, but particularly with Germany. Specifically, the Hofmayr surname is most common in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Hessen, and Sachsen-Anhalt in modern day Germany. It is also very common in the countries of Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
The surname originates from Old German words and translates to mean “priest and kinsman”. It was potentially used by farmers as a symbol of what distinguished their families from others. It is still a fairly common name today and is still found in the same countries it originated from.
The Hofmayr surname has been used in a variety of different ways since its origin. For example, parts of the name are still found in some Jewish surnames as well as in variants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The Hofmayr name is also found across the world, specifically in the United States and Canada, as many people who started using the surname are now residing in those countries. This can also be attributed to the refugee crisis following the Second World War.
Today, the surname remains fairly common in the countries it first originated in and is now found worldwide in a plethora of forms. Its origin as a symbol of a family can still be seen today and will continue into future generations.
Variations of the surname Hofmayr
Hofmayr is a German surname derived from the term "hofmeister," meaning "steward" or "court official." It is an occupational surname, as it was likely given to the family of an important figure in the court. Variants of the name include: Hofmeister, Hofmair, Hofmeier, Hofmeyer, Hoffmaire, Höfmeier, Höfmeyer, and Höftmeister.
The English spelling of Hofmayr is "Hofmeyer." Other English spellings of the same surname include Hofmeister, Howardmier and Howardmeyer.
The surnames Hofmair and Hofmar are also similar to Hofmayr. They are both derived from the same occupational source, but are derived from different dialects and regions of Germany.
Other spellings and variants of Hofmayr include Höfmaier, Höfmeier, Hoefmair, Halfmeyer, Hartemaier, Hartmair and Hartmeier.
An alternate spelling for Hofmayr could also be Haftmeir, which was a common Jewish surname. Jews living in Europe often changed their surnames to avoid persecution.
The above is a list of common variants and spellings of the surname Hofmayr.
Famous people with the name Hofmayr
- Sebastian Hofmayr, artist
- Robert Hofmayr, lawyer and entrepreneur
- Christina Hofmayr, filmmaker
- Hans Peter Hofmayr, German football player
- Christian Hofmayr, Austrian actor
- Herbert Hofmayr, Austrian journalist
- Friedrich Hofmayr, German-born Swiss painter
- Rudolf Hofmayr, German lawyer
- Max Hofmayr, architect
- Martin Hofmayr, Olympic athlete