Surname Hoferer - Meaning and Origin
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Hoferer: What does the surname Hoferer mean?
The surname Hoferer is a German last name, originating in Bavaria. It is derived from the German word ‘Hof’, meaning court, and is thought to date back to Medieval Germany when the Hoferers were the servants of a lord who lived on a court. The Hoferer name ultimately comes from a tradesperson or laborer who worked at a court, likely providing services such as farming, animal husbandry, or masonry.
The Hoferer surname can be found in records dating as far back as the 1500s, particularly in regions of Bavaria such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria’s Upper Palatinate. Many Hoferer families originated from a small hamlet in Upper Palatinate that was named Hofererhof, which translates to "Village of the Hoferer". It is believed that several generations of Hoferers lived in this community up until the 18th century.
Aside from the Hofererhof community, Hoferer families can be found in many different locations throughout Germany and Europe, including Belgium, Austria, France, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Hungary. The popularity of the Hoferer name has decreased slightly over time, as many families have since changed their surnames for various reasons. Today the Hoffman surname is still common in Germany, where it is widely used by both the older and younger generations.
Order DNA origin analysisHoferer: Where does the name Hoferer come from?
The last name Hoferer is an occupational surname that originated in the German-speaking region of Europe in the Middle Ages. It derived from the German word "Hoffart", referring to a court office that held a number of responsibilities, including processing legal documents. During this time, many people adopted the occupational last name as their own.
Today, the last name Hoferer can be found in countries with large German-speaking populations, such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In the United States, the most common location for Hoferer is the Mid-Atlantic region, with the highest concentrations of the surname present in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. Additional hot spots can be found in California, Wisconsin, and Texas.
Outside of the US, the last name is especially popular in Germany, where 890 people hold it as of 2019. Hoferer is the 1579th most common last name in the country. In countries with smaller concentrations of German-speaking populations, such as western Canada and Australia, the last name is also present, albeit in much lower numbers.
Variations of the surname Hoferer
Hoffer, Hoffers, Hofferrer, and Hoffaerter are all variants and spellings for the surname Hoferer. These variations can be found most commonly in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, as the surname originated from these regions. The variant spelling Hoffers can also be found in French-speaking countries, although not as common as in the mentioned Germanic countries.
It is generally accepted that the surname Hoferer derives from the German words hoffen, which means hope, or hof, which means court of law; however, other theories have suggested that it could have derived from an old Germanic personal name such as Hofer, or from an occupational name for someone who was a falconer.
Common French and Italian spellings of the surname are Hofer and Hoferre, respectively.
Common Germanic surnames associated with the Hoferer family include Hoffar, Hofferer, Hofferling, Hoffmann, Hoffmaster, Hoffmeister, Hof, Hoffer, and Hofferath. Many of these surnames have been used by descendants to distinguish themselves from one another in varying locations and times.
In the Netherlands, the variants Hoferer, Hoefferer, and Hofheer are used. Netherlands also has an old Dutch form of the name, although these last two spellings are found less often than in other regions.
Hoferer is an old and unique surname, one that has seen many variations and spellings throughout the ages. We can only hope that it continues to remain rooted in our family histories and prove valuable to our descendants.
Famous people with the name Hoferer
- Helmut Hoferer- German footballer and coach.
- Johann Hoferer- Austrian philosopher and psychologist.
- Sarah Hoferer- Austrian footballer.
- Andreas Hoferer- Swiss football player and manager.
- Lukas Hoferer- Austrian footballer.
- Anna Hoferer- German professional Volleyball player.
- Christoph Hoferer- Austrian tennis player.
- Georg Hoferer- German footballer.
- Johann Baptist Hoferer- Austrian painter.
- Charles Hoferer- US Army brigadier general.