Surname Korff - Meaning and Origin

Korff: What does the surname Korff mean?

Korff is an Ashkenazi Jewish family name with its roots in Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe. The name is derived from "Korban," which was either the Hebrew term meaning an offering such as an animal sacrifice, or a Slavic form of the Hebrew word "korov," meaning ram. The Korff surname has also been known to be spelled as Kurtz or Kortz.

The Korff family was part of a large group of German and Eastern European Jews who moved to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With the advent of World War II, many of the Korff family members were forced to flee and flee again until they eventually relocated to other countries such as England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Today, there are Korff families living all over the world. The Korff surname has come to be associated with creativity, as many of its descendants have gained notoriety in the arts and sciences. In particular, the Korffs have had a long history of success in the areas of music, literature, and science.

The Korff family has established rich legacies and has played an integral part in helping shape the world for the better. From early in their migration, they have contributed to the global economy in various ways, including bringing new ideas and innovations in education, healthcare and even the military. The legacy of the Korff family continues to live on, and their success and contributions to society should not be underestimated.

Korff: Where does the name Korff come from?

The last name Korff is most commonly found in the area around Germany and can also be found in Austria, Poland, and Russia. It is mainly found in northern and eastern Europe and is not particularly concentrated in any one specific area.

In Germany, the surname originated in the East Prussian regions of East and West Prussia around the 12th and 13th centuries and spread westward throughout the country. A well-known branch of the Korff family is the Brandenburg-Korffs, who rose to prominence in Germany during the 18th century. Today, the surname is most prevalent in the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, and Berlin.

In Poland, Korff is mainly present in the southern regions, particularly Silesia and Greater Poland. It likely spread to the region after the Middle Ages and the Third Partition of Poland in 1795.

In Russia, the Korff surname is most common in western areas like St. Petersburg and Moscow. The earliest recorded instances of the name appearing in Russia can be traced back as far as the 1700s. Today, it is also well-represented in Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, though its exact origin in these countries is largely unknown.

In the United States, the last name Korff is less common and can most frequently be found in the Midwest and Southeast regions, particularly in Illinois, Ohio, and Florida. It is thought that the surname arrived in the country as early as the 1800s, when many Germans migrated to the United States.

Variations of the surname Korff

The surname Korff is an ancient German and Dutch patronymic surname which has many variant spellings and surnames of the same origin. Variations include Korf, Körf, Corf, Courf, Korffmann, Korfmann, Körffmann, Courfmann, Korfmacher, Körfmacher, Körfman, Courfman, Körfhage and Korphage.

The surname is derived from the Middle High German word “korf” meaning “basket”, and may have signified one who made baskets or some other type of container.

In the Netherlands, the surname has become quite common, and alternate spellings and alternate forms of the surname have arisen over recent centuries. An example is Korpershoek, which originally was Korffershoek but is sometimes recorded as Korpershoek.

In Germany, Korff is the most commonly found spelling, but there are other variations. Korffen is the correct variant spelling of the name, and is also found as Körf, Körffen, Körfgen, Korfgen, Körftgen and Korftgen, all of which are derived from the Middle High German word korf.

Most of the variant surnames are clustered in the western parts of Germany, with eastern Germany exhibiting fewer and less varied forms of the surname. In addition, the surname has spread to eastern Europe, including Poland, and has also been found in Finland and Russia.

Although the surname Korff is found mainly in Germany, and to a lesser extent in The Netherlands and other parts of Europe, it is also found in the United States, and is becoming increasingly more common in Canada.

Famous people with the name Korff

• Joahannes Korff: a German composer who was born in the early 19th century known for writing music for orchestra, choir, and solo instruments.
• George Korff: a German eating-entrepreneur who founded a small Italian restaurant at age 16 which later became a famous restaurant chain.
• Louisa Korff: a German-American painter who was well-known during her lifetime for her realistic depictions of landscapes and still-life images.
• Saul Korff: an American architect and draftsman who created innovative designs for skyscrapers during the height of modernist architecture in America.
• Franz Korff: a German molecular biologist who made significant advances in the field of genetics in the mid-20th century.
• Robert Korff: an American civil rights lawyer who fought fiercely against racial segregation in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Justine Korff: a German illustrator and graphic artist who was a pioneer in modern graphic design during the 20th century.
• Anthony Korff: an American photographer and fashion designer who was awarded multiple awards for his photography and his unique designs in the 1950s.
• Arthur Korff: a German physicist who made significant contributions to the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
• Werner Korff: an Austrian philosopher and author who was an early proponent of existentialism and anti-Nazi sentiment during the 1940s.

Other surnames

KorfKörferKörfersKorfesmeyerKörfferKorffmacherKorffmannKörfgenKorfmacherKorfmakerKorfmannKorfsmeierKorfsmeyer