Surname Niggehoff - Meaning and Origin
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Niggehoff: What does the surname Niggehoff mean?
The last name Niggehoff is of German origin and has a meaning relating to an ancestral home. The name is believed to have been derived from a place named "Nigghof," which is an old spelling of the German word "Nieghof." The root word of Nigghof is Niego, which means the place of a housekeeper. It is believed that the first family to take the name was living near or in an area with a manor house that had a resident housekeeper.
The change to the spelling of Niggehoff is believed to occur around 1790, this is a result of the process of phonetic spelling. The emphasis of the "h" sound in the original spelling emphasizes the sound of the final syllable of the transcribed name.
Throughout history, members of the Niggehoff family have been found in various occupations, from farmers to knights; all of which could provide the necessary skills to manage a manor house. Today the last name is found throughout Germany and parts of the United States.
In modern times, the last name Niggehoff is still a source of pride and an identifying mark for the family. It offers a unique identity that unites them and allows them to share a unique bond. Its historic origins remind its members of their ancestral home and of the bonds that have been created throughout generations.
Order DNA origin analysisNiggehoff: Where does the name Niggehoff come from?
The last name Niggehoff is most commonly found in Germany, where it is spelled Nigghoff or Niggelhoff. It may also be seen in the Netherlands, especially in the province of Limburg. The name is thought to derive from a Dutch toponymic, indicating that its earliest bearers originated in Niggel, a small municipality in the region.
In the United States, the last name Niggehoff is found in small numbers in several states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In the U.S., the name is sometimes found as Niggehauff, Nighoff, or Nietgehoff, although some of these variants may represent entirely different surnames.
The earliest known record of the name comes from 1614, when Gheert Niggelhoff was listed in an army roster in Limburg. The earliest known bearer of the name in the U.S. was Bernard Niggehoff, who arrived in Wisconsin from Germany in 1849.
It is unknown how many individuals currently bear the name Niggehoff; however, it is still in use in Germany, the Netherlands, and parts of the United States.
Variations of the surname Niggehoff
The Niggehoff surname is believed to be of Germanic origin, derived from the German word “nigger” meaning “black” or “dark shade”. Nigehoff or Nickhoff are a few of the variants of this surname. Those variants appear in Germany in the 16th century and are found primarily in the Rhineland region.
The most common variants of the name include Niggahoff, Niggehoof, Niggehofer, Niggehoffer, Nickhoff, Nickhofer, Nickhoffer, Niehoffer and Niggehofe. These surnames can also be Americanized to Nyehoff, Nyhoff, Nyhofer and Nyhoffer. Another spelling removed one letter, giving rise to the surnames Nighhofer and Nighhoffer.
In some cases, the spelling was changed slightly, leading to alternative versions like Nicoloff, Nigglemayer, Nicklemayer, Nichelmeyer, Niggelmeijer, Nichelmeijer, Nickelemeyer, Nickolley, Neckally and Nickully.
Overall, there is no definitive answer as to what the original spelling of the surname Niggehoff is, due to a large amount of regional variation and possible corruption of phonetics over time.
Famous people with the name Niggehoff
- Friedrich Niggemann: Friedrich Niggemann was a German industrialist and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Friedrich-Niggemann-Stiftung foundation in 1973 and had a major impact on the development of the German economy.
- Fabian Niggemann: Fabian Niggemann is a German musician, songwriter and producer. He has released several solo albums and has written many songs with other artists, including Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose.
- Gerd Niggemann: Gerd Niggemann is a German pianist and composer. He has performed and written music for a variety of classical music ensembles, including the Bavarian State Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic.
- Johannes Niggemann: Johannes Niggemann is a German gymnast and four-time Olympic medalist. He won bronze medals in the men’s vault and horizontal bar at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
- Margarita Niggemann: Margarita Niggemann was a German actress who appeared in a number of films in the 1950s and 1960s. Her most famous role was in the classic 1952 film The Crawling Eye.
- Uwe Niggemann: Uwe Niggemann is a German footballer who played for the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund from 1999-2004. He was a regular starter for the club and earned 35 caps in total.
- Ludwig Niggemann: Ludwig Niggemann was a German historical and religious painter from Hanover. He is best known for his painting titled “Nativity of Mary” which is currently located in the Hanover Museum of Fine Arts.