Surname Hoeft - Meaning and Origin
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Hoeft: What does the surname Hoeft mean?
The last name Hoeft is a German and Dutch occupational surname. It most likely originated from a person who was an installer or maker of hoes. Hoes were an important tool for agriculture and would be used to break up the soil prior to planting. The surname is derived from the German word “hof” meaning “hoe”.
The name Hoeft is found in many parts of Germany, as well as other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland. It is also found in the Netherlands, where it is spelled "Hotf".
In the 19th century, several members of the Hoeft (or Hotf) family emigrated to the United States from Germany and the Netherlands. Today, the name is more commonly seen in the US than in Germany or the Netherlands.
During World War II, when many Jewish people changed their names for safety reasons, some Hoeft families also changed their names to Hoff or Hoft.
The Hoeft surname continues to be a strong distinction in German heritage. It often signifies a person with hard-working and humble roots, and can even signify aligning oneself with the land and the legacy of German farmers.
Order DNA origin analysisHoeft: Where does the name Hoeft come from?
The last name Hoeft is most commonly found in Central Europe. In particular, there is a high concentration of the surname in the German state of Lower Saxony. About 1000 people in Lower Saxony alone carry this name.
The last name is also widespread in the Netherlands, where it ranks among the top 500 surnames. Most of the bearers of this name live in the Southwestern Netherlands in the provinces of North Brabant, South Holland, Flevoland, and Groningen.
Other European countries that have a significant number of people with the Hoeft surname include Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, and France. The surname is also found in the United States, primarily in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; the name's presence in these states reflects the immigaration of Germans, Dutch, and some Swiss people during the 19th century.
The history of the Hoeft surname can be traced back to Lower Saxony in the Middle Ages. The name can be derived from the word "höv", which means dwelling, and likely referred to a person who settled in that place. It is also possible that it was adopted by someone who worked at a forge or a smithy, as höv was also a term used to describe the tools used in these kinds of professions.
Variations of the surname Hoeft
The surname Hoeft can be found in several different variants, spellings, and surnames with the same origin. Variants of the name include Hoft, Huff, Houf, Hoff, Hoffe, Hofft, Hoffte, Hoffmeyer, and Hofmeister. Spellings of the surname that have been seen include Hoef, Hoeffe, Hoeft, Hoeffte, Hofte, Hoft, Huffte, and Höft.
Surnames of the same origin as Hoeft include Haft, Hafter, Lauf, Lawf, Lawft, Laub, Lauffte, Lowf, Lowft, and Loef. Although, most of these surnames originate from the German word for “hoof,” Hoeft is the only one that is recorded to have originated from the Dutch name, Hof.
The surname Hoeft can be found in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. It is believed to have been used by people who moved to these places from Germany, and later adopted the name as their own. It is also worth noting that Hoeft can have more than one origin; some version of the name can be found in Norway and Denmark, as well as other Germanic countries, and these are thought to have originated from Gothic and biblical roots, not from the same origin as the Dutch name.
In the US, Hoeft is the most commonly seen variant of the surname. In other countries, such as the Netherlands, Hoft is more prominent. It is likely that with increased migration, the name has changed in variant, spelling, or form in the countries in which it is found, especially due to the fact that many of its roots are in different European languages.
The name Hoeft is found throughout the world, and the many different forms of it are a testament to the many different countries that its original bearer and their descendants have traveled to.
Famous people with the name Hoeft
- George Hoeft: Former US Major League Baseball pitcher (1952-1965). He was a four-time All-Star, selected in 1956, 1961, 1962, and 1963.
- Helene Hoeft: International fashion model.
- Jérôme Hoeft: Former French football goalkeeper who won the Coupe de France in 1976.
- Michael Hoeft: US Major League Baseball coach and former infielder.
- Fritz Hoeft: German astronomer who led the observing team that discovered the Earth-crossing asteroid 2062 Aten.
- Darlene Hoeft: American-born actor and voice-over artist.
- Malte Hoeft: German editor, author, and script writer.
- Wolfgang Hoeft: German skiing pioneer and early innovator of the sport.