Surname Hofsess - Meaning and Origin

Hofsess: What does the surname Hofsess mean?

The last name Hofsess is derived from the German given name 'Hoffmann'. This name was historically given to someone who was said to work in a position of authority or who worked in a tavern. It is also sometimes associated with working as a horse-keeper or a horse dealer.

The surname Hofsess is derived from the Middle High German words "Hof" meaning court or yard, and "Sasse" meaning leader or steward. This is a descriptive name for someone who served as a court or estate officer, or was responsible for the administration of an estate. In the medieval period, many people in Europe worked as servants to gentry or royals, and Hofsess would have been the title given to someone in this position.

Hofsess is usually thought to be an occupational surname, which would have been acquired from the Middle Ages onwards. It therefore has no particular meaning as a whole, but each element of the name has its own distinct origin and symbolism. It is a reminder of how people once worked as servants and stewards in European castles, and of those who were responsible for the day-to-day running of the estate.

Hofsess: Where does the name Hofsess come from?

The surname Hofsess is a relatively rare one, existing mainly in Germany and Austria. There are only 14 people in the world with the last name Hofsess listed in an online genealogy database. Today, Hofsess families can primarily be found in cities such as Munich, Berlin, and Vienna in Germany and Austria. There are also a few Hofsesses scattered throughout other parts of the European continent, mainly in places like Poland, Hungary, and Croatia.

In more recent years, Hofsess families have begun migrating to other parts of the world, such as North America, Australia, and Africa. North America is home to the largest population of Hofsess families in the world, with over a hundred people being recorded living in Canada and the United States, according to online genealogy records. As for Australia and Africa, only a handful of people with the surname Hofsess can be found living in those countries.

Overall, the surname Hofsess is a rarity, but over the centuries, it has made its way all over the world. From its origins in the German and Austrian regions, Hofsess families have slowly spread out to other parts of the globe, creating a small but significant footprint wherever they go.

Variations of the surname Hofsess

The surname Hofsess is a German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname. It is derived from the Middle High German words "hof" and "suss", meaning "courtly" and "sweet".

There are several alternative spellings of the surname Hofsess, including Hofs, Hofse, Hoffse, Hoffsess, Hoffsess, Hoffes, Hoffeess, and Hoffis.

Variant forms of the surname Hofsess include Hofmann, Hoffmann, Hofman, Hoffman, Hofmann-Hofsess, Hoffmann-Hofsess, Hofheinz, Hoffheinz, Hofhines, Hoffhines, Hofszens, Hoffszens, Hofz, Hofficial, Hofiller, Hoffiller, Hoffmanel, Hoffiness, Hoffner, Hoffknecht, Hoffchardt, Hofschauer, Hoffschauer, Hofflederer, Hoffleitner, Hoffstatter, Hoffstotter, Hofstotter, Hofsak, Hoffsecker, Hofschulte, Hoffschulte, Hoffscheider, Hoffscheider, and Hoffmeister.

Some of the other surnames related to the Hofsess family include Hofstee, Hofsmeder, Hofschur, Hoffstotter, Hoffensterfer, Hoffennster, Huffstutter, Hofsommer, Hofstratter, Hoffsommer, Hofflicker, Hofmobler, Hofsetter, Hoffkins, Hoffmancht, Hoffemeyer, Hofferger, Hoffenberg, Hoffmanzer, Hoffengerger, Hofflitze, Hofstetter, Hoffsetter, Hoffteater, Hofferegger, Hofflicker, Hoffsengerger, Hoffemay.

Many of the other variants have experienced a change in their name, such as Hofsess being changed to Hoffmans, Hoffmans to Hoffmans-Hofsess, or Hofs to Hofse. The surname may also have been changed to a variant spelling under the influence of immigration and language.

Famous people with the name Hofsess

• John Hofsess: Canadian journalist, author, and producer of documentaries. He was involved with the right-to-die movement.
• Thomas Hofsess: German artist and sculptor. He is best known for his monumental sculpture of Dürer's Melancholy at the Melanchthonhaus in Wittenberg.
• Peter Hofsess: Canadian film director and producer, best known for his horror films such as The Gate and Grave Encounters.
• Wolfgang Hofsess: Austrian theatre director, librettist, writer, and painter. He is known for writing and directing the 1974 film “Death Instinct,” based on the novel by Viva Frei.
• William Hofsess: Canadian mountaineer and book author. He is best known for his mountaineering book Medicine for Mountaineering.
• Frederick Hofsess: 19th century English botanist, best known for cataloguing the plants of the Gold Coast and is credited for founding the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
• Eugene Hofsess: German chemist and physicist, best known for being one of the founders of the field of polarography.
• John Paul Hofsess: Canadian news anchor and talk show host who anchored the 6 o'clock news on Showcase Television Network.
• Wendy Hofsess: American businesswoman and founder of a multinational consulting consulting company specializing in technology.
• Ernst Hofsess: French painter and sculptor, active in Paris from 1920s to the 1950s. His work is held in several museums worldwide, including the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris.

Other surnames

Hofses