Surname Hanft - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
Hanft: What does the surname Hanft mean?
The last name Hanft is of German origin, derived from a pet form of the name Johann or Johannes, which is derived from the Hebrew name 'John'. The name is a topographic name for someone who lived by a hedge or an enclosure made of twigs or sticks. Alternatively, the name could be an occupational name for someone who worked making or selling such hedges.
Hanft can also refer to someone who was a master in some craft, which was derived from the Old High German 'hanaf'. It is an occupational name and was originally used as an alternative to 'Hanser', which was a title used to refer to a distinguished master craftsman. The surname Hanft is likely to have first appeared in the 13th century.
The name Hanft can be found mostly in western Pennsylvania, where settlers from other parts of Europe, mainly Germany, settled in the early 1700s. It has since spread to other parts of the U.S., and even to Israel. The Hanft surname is a proud symbol of a family's German roots, referring to the hardworking individuals who created it.
Order DNA origin analysisHanft: Where does the name Hanft come from?
Hanft is an uncommon surname of Germanic origin. Today it is most commonly found in areas in and around West Germany, particularly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Baden-Wurttemberg, and Bavaria. It is also seen in large cities such as Frankfurt and Berlin and smaller towns like Lippstadt and Dresden.
The Hanft surname can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was a name given to a family or clan living along the west bank of the Rhine River, just north of the city of Mainz. The name is composed of two elements, “han” meaning “roof” or “head” and “ft” from the word “voft” meaning “stone”. During the 13th century, the Hanft surname was closely associated with the Barons von Hanft and other members of the aristocracy in the Frankfurt area.
The Hanft surname is still found today among families living in Germany and parts of Europe. As emigration from Germany increased during the 19th and 20th centuries, the Hanft surname could also be found in the United States and other countries around the world. Some populations in the United States have retained the German spelling, while others have anglicized it as Hanford.
In recent years, Hanft has become an increasingly rarer surname even in its original region of origin in Germany. As of 2020, one of the few records of the name still registered in Germany is in the city of Stuttgart in Baden-Wurttemberg, with a population of just four individuals.
Variations of the surname Hanft
The Hanft surname is an ancient Jewish surname derived from the German word ‘Hand’, which means ‘hand’. The surname is believed to have originated in the region now known as Germany. Over time, the surname has undergone various changes, resulting in several variant spellings and forms.
The most recognized variant spellings and surnames of Hanft include Hanft, Hand, Hande, Hanquer, Hansen, Hant, Hans, Heintz, Heindl, Hendl, Heintzer, and Hayntzer.
The variants Hand and Hanft have both evolved out of the German word ‘Hand’. ‘Hand’ is derived from the Old High German word ‘han’, which means ‘hand’, and the Middle High German word ‘hanft’ meaning ‘of the hand’, or ‘in the hand’. Thus, the Hanft surname is derived from the German word ‘Hand’, and is typical of German surnames derived from a person's physical characteristics.
The variant spelling Hansen is thought to have derived from the patronymic surname ‘Hansen’. A patronymic surname is derived from the given name of one's father or ancestor. Similarly, Heintz, Heindl, Hendl, Heintzer, and Hayntzer are believed to have its roots in the German patronymic surname ‘Heintz’.
While the Hanft surname has continued to evolve over time, the variant spellings are heavily associated with the original Hanft surname. People with the Hanft surname or any of its variants are commonly linked to the same families and appear to share the same German heritage.
Famous people with the name Hanft
- Lori F Hanft: American businesswoman and co-founder of the Squaw Valley Ski Team
- Michael J Hanft: deemed one of the “Most Influential Scientists of 2020” by The Scientist magazine
- David Hanft: former United States Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
- Michael J Hanft: biotech executive
- Jonathan C Hanft: TV producer for Primetime Emmy-nominated shows
- Mary Ann Hanft: well-known theatre director and playwright
- Rebecca Hanft: founder and editor-in-chief of the women's fashion magazine Chic
- Marshall Hanft: novelist, playwright, filmmaker, and voice actor
- Brooke L Hanft: award-winning sports broadcaster
- Abigail Hanft: composer and winner of the BMI Foundation’s Johnny Mandel Prize