Surname Hanfft - Meaning and Origin

Hanfft: What does the surname Hanfft mean?

The last name Hanfft is of German origin and its literal meaning is “Hans” or “Hannes”. Historically, this surname has been used to denote someone from Hannover, a city in Northern Germany. In the early 13th century, the German people began to use surnames to distinguish themselves from other members of their community, and Hanfft is one of those surnames.

The name Hanfft is derived from the given name “Hannel,” which often had variants such as “Han,” “Hanno” or “Hannes.” These names were popular during the Middle Ages and were commonly used to give a unique identity to a person. The name was also used to denote a person from Hannover.

The Hanfft surname appeared in many documents throughout Germany throughout the Middle Ages. During this time, it was used to refer to various members of the same family. There is evidence of the Hanfft surname being used in Germany as far back as the late 12th century.

Today, the surname Hanfft is still common in Germany and other parts of Europe. People with the Hanfft surname often share a common ancestry and can trace their heritage back to Hannover. Some may even come from a long line of Hanffts, tracing their ancestry through the generations.

Hanfft: Where does the name Hanfft come from?

The last name Hanfft is especially common in Germany and Switzerland today. The name is found most frequently in both countries within their southern regions. It is believed to be a German surname derived from the words "Hain" meaning hedge or fence and "fahrt," which translates to journey.

In Germany, the Hanfft surname is particularly popular in the larger cities of Stuttgart, Munich, and Hamburg; however, it can also be found in other regions, such as Baden-Württemburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Bavaria.

The name Hanfft is also prevalent in Switzerland, primarily within the canton of Zurich. It has significant presence in both urban and rural areas, as well as in French and Italian speaking regions.

In Switzerland, the name is believed to be an ancient variation of the name "Hantz," which is derived from an old German word meaning "polecat." This is why "Hanfft" is still quite popular with the Swiss.

While the Hanfft surname is found in other parts of the world, including France, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, and the United States, it is especially common today in Germany and Switzerland.

Variations of the surname Hanfft

Hanfft is a surname of German-Jewish origin. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include the following:

Hannf, Hannft, Hanff, Hanft, Hanffte, Hanfe, Hafft, Hafte, Haft, Hampf, Hampt, Handf, Hannt, Hant, Handt, Hanedt, Henf, Hefft, Heft, Heppt, Hent, Henft.

The German language originally played a role in creating the Hanfft surname. The grammatical rules of the German language dictate that names ending in “f” or “ft” have a feminine ending. This is why many other surnames of Hanfft origin have “ft” suffixes like Hannft and Hanft. In some cases, both spellings have been used.

The surname has also been documented with spelling variations such as Hefft, Heft, Hampf, Hammer, and Behnanft. In some records, the surname Hanfft was even written as Hannt, Handt, and Handf.

In addition, many families with this surname also have inherited or acquired additional surnames, such as Hanedt, Henf, Helf, Heppt, Hent, and Henft. These variations are the product of centuries of migration, religious affiliation, and political affiliations.

Overall, the Hanfft surname is highly variable and has been spelled in a variety of ways, all deriving from the same German-Jewish origin.

Famous people with the name Hanfft

• Johanna Louise Hanfft (1873–1966): German philanthropist
• Preben Hanfft (1919–1998): Danish entrepreneur
• Hugo Hanfft (1903–1986): German-Dutch industrialist
• Claus Hanfft (1951–2019): German businessman
• Margarete Hanfft (1911–1986): German anti-Nazi activist
• Alexander Hanfft (1888–1966): German physical chemist and academic
• Christina Hanfft (1910–1998): Dutch physician
• Gerhard Hanfft (1924–2009): German writer
• Joachim Hanfft (1900–1977): German lawyer
• Arno Hanfft (1929–2006): German sculptor

Other surnames

Hanff