Surname Pothof - Meaning and Origin

Pothof: What does the surname Pothof mean?

The last name Pothof is an archaic German surname that is believed to have originated in the ancient Saxon region of Germany. It is a patronymic surname, meaning it is derived from the language of the father's given name. The old German name 'Pothof' is derived from either the Old German name 'Potheof', meaning a house on a path, or the Middle High German 'Pott', meaning a pot or caldron.

The surname Pothof is most common in Germany, where it is estimated to have been around since at least the 12th century. It is most popular in the northwest states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, and is also seen in Austria, the Netherlands, and the United States. In the United States, Pothof is most commonly found in the Midwest, particularly in the states of Wisconsin and Iowa, where it is one of the oldest surnames in the Midwest.

Despite its ancient German roots, the surname Pothof is still quite common today. Pothof is a proud and distinguished name, and heritage that is sure to remain cherished and alive for generations to come.

Pothof: Where does the name Pothof come from?

The last name Pothof is believed to originate from Germanic Europe and can be found in many countries today. In Germany, it is most commonly found in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, although it is possible to find it in all 16 German states.

In the Netherlands, the name is predominantly found in the southern provinces, such as Limburg and Limburg North Brabant. In the United States, it is most commonly found in Minnesota and Wisconsin. There are also some instances of the name in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.

In Australia, the name is found mainly in the states of South and West Australia. In Canada, there is a larger presence of the last name, with people bearing the name found in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.

Those bearing the name Pothof come from a variety of backgrounds, including Germanic, Dutch, and Slavic. This indicates that the name itself has an interesting origin story, although the exact origins are not known.

The people bearing the last name Pothof come from various walks of life, although the name itself still has a strong emphasis on servicewinkel, which indicates a long-held family tradition of service.

Variations of the surname Pothof

Pothof is a German-origin surname that is commonly found in countries like Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is derived from the words ‘pot’ and ‘hof’ which mean a hut or a small house in German. Variants of this surname include Pothoff, Potthof, Pott Hof, Pothofen, Pothofs, Pothef and Pothef.

Pothofen is a variant which is created by adding the suffix '-en' to the original surname. Similarly, adding the suffix '-s' results in the variant Pothofs. This suffix is commonly used in German language to mark a proprietor of an object. Pothef is another variant of Pothof which is derived by changing the 'h' to 'th' in the original form. Pott Hof is also a variant which is created by replacing the 'th' with 'tt'.

Alternate spellings that are commonly seen include Pothoff, Potthof and Pothof. Pothoff is created by adding a double 'ff' at the end of the original form while Potthof is created by replacing the 'h' with 'th'. Another alternate spelling is Pothof, which is the original form of the surname.

Apart from these variants, alternate surnames of similar origin that are derived from the same root words are Potthoff, Pothhoeffer, Pothhöfer and Fehlhöfer. All of these surnames are derived by adding different suffixes to the root words.

Famous people with the name Pothof

• Joe Pothof: Born and raised in Wisconsin, Joe Pothof is an American professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League.
• Marjan Pothof: Marjan Pothof is a Dutch behavioral economist. She is a professor of Socio-Economics at the Erasmus University and a former Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Cologne.
• Ritta Pothof: Ritta Pothof is a Dutch sociologist and Professor of Quality of Life and Quality of Care at Utrecht University, where she leads the Social Science Department.
• Marijke Pothof: Marijke Pothof is a Dutch entrepreneur and visual artist who has created the art gallery Sell Your Own Art, which focuses on selling work by young, new and upcoming artists.
• Jacques Pothof: Jacques Pothof was a Dutch architect and urban designer, known for his work with Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
• John Pothof: John Pothof is a Dutch TV and radio personality, best known for his work as a sports presenter for the NOS and as a football commentator for the Eredivisie.
• Kirsten Pothof: Born in the Netherlands, Kirsten Pothof is an international fashionista with her own brand, Huishouder, located in Amsterdam.
• Johanna Pothof: Johanna Pothof is a Dutch Olympic swimmer who competed at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games.
• Rik Pothof: Rik Pothof is a Dutch TV presenter and actor. He is best known for his work as a presenter for the Dutch television show 'Big Brother'.
• Jacob Pothof: Jacob Pothof is a Dutch football coach and former player who currently manages the Dutch amateur side ZVV ZamService.

Other surnames

PothöferPothoff