Surname Bohnhof - Meaning and Origin
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Bohnhof: What does the surname Bohnhof mean?
Bohnhof is a German surname derived from the Middle High German 'bohnehof', meaning 'bean yard' or 'bean courtyard'. The name was likely used to describe a place where beans were farmed, stored, or sold. It is believed that this surname may have associations with the Jewish population in Germany, as it is a more commonly found surname in the Ashkenazi Jewish community.
The use of surnames in Europe began in the 11th century, and roughly coincided with the Crusades in the Middle East. This is because the Crusades brought thousands of Europeans into contact with Arabic culture, including the tradition of having a single, fixed surname. This surname then slowly started spreading from person to person, family to family throughout Europe.
Bohnhof is a common surname in Germany, and there are several variants of the name, including Behnhof, Bohnhofen, and Behnhoven. It is thought that these variants arose from dialectal variations in spelling or pronunciation of the original Bohnhof, which itself is derived from the Middle High German 'bohnehof'.
The Bohnhof surname is ultimately derived from the Middle High German 'bohnehof', which translates directly to 'bean yard' or 'bean courtyard'. This is most likely due to the fact that this surname was used to describe a person who lived in or near a place where beans were farmed, stored, or sold. It is uncertain whether the Bohnhof surname was inherited from ancestors with Hebrew heritage, as it is among the more commonly found Jewish surnames in the Ashkenazi Jewish community.
Order DNA origin analysisBohnhof: Where does the name Bohnhof come from?
The surname Bohnhof is primarily found in Germany and other German-speaking countries today. It is derived from the Middle High German word "office," translating to mean the holder of an administrative post. In the medieval age, when many surnames were created, Bohnhof likely denoted someone who held an important government post in a rural, agricultural setting.
In Germany, Bohnhof remains a common surname today, appearing prominently in the federal states of Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saxony. In modern-day Germany, the surname is most concentrated in the state of Bavaria but can also be found in the neighboring states of Thuringia and Schleswig-Holstein. Beyond German-speaking countries, Bohnhof is found in Netherlands, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, and even Hungary.
It's interesting to note that despite its German origins, the surname has seen a significant decrease in frequency in the United States and is almost non-existent today. Furthermore, Bohnhof is now a rarity in other English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland.
Variations of the surname Bohnhof
The surname Bohnhof is a German-language name that originates from the Middle High German word "bunehof", which translates to 'bean garden' and 'farm'. It is also derived from the pre-5th century word "Bone", which translates to 'bean'.
Variants of the surname Bohnhof that are commonly found include Bohnhoff, Bunhaf, Buhnhof, Bönhof, and Bohnfuhs. It is also spelled alternately as Bonhaf, Bohnehaf, and Bownhof.
The spelling of the surname Bohnhof is often varied due to its widespread use throughout Europe and the changing migration patterns of Germans. The surname is common in countries such as Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
Other alternative spellings and surnames of the same origin can also be found throughout Germany and abroad with slight variations. Examples include Bonehag (Austria), Bonhage (Germany), Bunheff (Czech Republic), and Buhnhef (Netherlands).
Variants of the name Bohnhof which are often encountered in the United States include Bonnhoff, Bonhof, Bunhof, Buhnhaupt and Bunholm.
Overall, the surname Bohnhof has a multitude of variants, spellings, and alternate surnames of the same origin, all of which highlight the cosmopolitan roots of the German language.
Famous people with the name Bohnhof
- Nils Bohnhof: An award-winning storyboard artist from Germany, who has worked on projects such as How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and Paddington.
- Willy Bohnhof: A well known 1942 nightclub owner in Berlin, Germany.
- Carlo Bohnhof: A German musician best known for his contribution to the global blues scene and founder of the Bohnhof & Band record label.
- Sarah Bohnhof: A former German figure skater who won consecutive German national titles and two bronze medals at the European Championships in 2006 and 2008.
- Oliver Bohnhof: An award-winning film director from Germany, who has directed projects like the 2020 horror movie "Grimm Love".
- Daniel Bohnhof: A professional ice hockey player from Germany, who is currently a forward for the Iserlohn Roosters in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
- Max Bohnhof: A German-born professional tennis player who reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 133 in 2012.
- Gretchen Bohnhof: A former American professional golfer, best known as the 1982 winner of the LPGA Championship.
- Sibylle Bohnhof: A German costume designer and costume designer for stage, film and television.
- Steffen Bohnhof: An engineer and computer scientist, best known for his contributions to circuit design and computer architecture.