Surname Oberhofer - Meaning and Origin

Oberhofer: What does the surname Oberhofer mean?

The last name Oberhofer is of German, Swiss, and Austrian origin. The name is derived from the German words ober, meaning "above", and hof, meaning "court", "manor house" or "farmstead". It was likely an occupational name for someone who was a superior or official at a court or estate. Other forms of the name include Oberhofer, Oberhaupt, Oberholzer, Oberholtzer, Oberhohl, Oberhauser, and Oberheim.

In some cases, the name might be derived from placenames, such as Oberhof in Thuringia and Oberhofen in Switzerland. It could also be an indicator of someone's geographic origin, indicating that their ancestors came from one of these places.

The earliest known record of the name is found in Breslau, Silesia, in 1343. By the 15th century, the name was found in many German speaking countries in Europe, the United States, and Canada.

In modern times, the name Oberhofer is still common in German speaking countries, as well as across the world. People bearing the name can be found in many different occupations, ranging from lawyers and engineers, to politicians and business owners.

Oberhofer: Where does the name Oberhofer come from?

The last name Oberhofer is most commonly found in Austria, where it is one of the top 600 surnames in the country. It is also found in Hungary, where it is one of the top 1,000 surnames. There is also a significant presence of the name in the United States and Canada.

In the United States, the surname's concentration is highest in the northeast, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. There is also a sizeable presence of the surname in the Midwest states, most notably Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. In the West, the surname is especially prominent in California and Oregon. Overall, the surname is particularly concentrated in the areas with larger German-speaking populations.

In Canada, the surname is most common in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, both of which have sizable German-speaking populations. In Quebec, the prevalence of the name is considerably higher than in the rest of the country.

Overall, the last name Oberhofer is most often encountered in countries or areas with substantial German-speaking populations, such as Austria, Hungary, the northeastern US, the Midwestern and Western US, and Canada.

Variations of the surname Oberhofer

The surname Oberhofer is an old German and Austrian last name, and has numerous forms and spellings. Generally, the prefix “Ober-” implies a higher social position and originates from the German language. Of these variants, the Oberhofer spelling is the most commonly used in Germany and Austria, while the German-speaking Swiss prefer Oberhöfer.

In addition to the Germaic roots of this surname, it also has Austrian branches. Oberhofer, Oberhöfer and Oberhoffer are the most common of these spelling variations, and all imply a relationship to a higher-ranking family or person within the community.

In Italy, the same surname is spelled Oberhofher. This surname is also encountered in Austria and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, often spelled Oberhaufer. Öberhofer is another common spelling variant that is seen in Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

Variations on the basic surname include Barbgassen-Oberhofer, Oberhoffer-Ratz, Oberhöffer-Gütter and Obolhauf (Oberhoffer). These surnames are all derived from Oberhofer, and indicate a more specific branch of the same family.

There are also numerous surnames that are related to the Oberhofer surname but differ slightly in spelling or form. These include Oberhofnar, Obrhofner, Öbermöller, Obermolle, Obermoeller, Obermeuller, Oberhaufe and Oberhauser. All of these names originated from the same German root of the Oberhofer surname.

In short, the surname Oberhofer has many forms and spellings that are related to its German and Austrian roots. Some of the most common variants of this name are Oberhofer, Oberhöfer, Oberhoffer, Oberhofher, Oberhaufer, Öberhofer, Barbgassen-Oberhofer, Oberhoffer-Ratz, Oberhöffer-Gütter, Obolhauf, Oberhofnar, Obrhofner, Öbermöller, Obermolle, Obermoeller, Obermeuller, Oberhaufe and Oberhauser.

Famous people with the name Oberhofer

• Brad Oberhofer: American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Seattle, Washington.
• Fritz Oberhofer: German Olympic bobsledder who drove in the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France.
• Max Oberhofer: Former member of the Swiss National Ski Team.
• Ursula Oberhofer: Former alpine skier who competed in the 1956 Winter Olympics.
• Martin Oberhofer: Austrian footballer who was part of the Austria national football team.
• Fabian Oberhofer: Swiss alpine skier who competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
• Peter Oberhofer: American poet and translator.
• Elmar Oberhofer: Austrian alpine skier who won the bronze medal in the slalom during the 1993 World Championships in Morioka, Japan.
• Julian Oberhofer: Austrian footballer who was part of the Austria national football team.
• Gerhard Oberhofer: Austrian sprint canoer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Other surnames

OberhofOberhoff