Surname Witthöfft - Meaning and Origin

Witthöfft: What does the surname Witthöfft mean?

The last name Witthöfft is a common German name, derived from the German words “witte," meaning “white” and “höffte,” meaning “hut.” Together, these two words conjoin to give the surname its meaning: “white hat.”

This name is thought to have originated among German laborers and merchants who wore the traditionally white hats while working or plying their trade. As such, Witthöfft often suggests a humble but industrious lifestyle.

The name has been in common usage in Germany for hundreds of years. Modern day variation of the family name include Witte, Wittel, Wittkoff, and Wassenfelth.

Most variants of Witthöfft are concentrated in the northern states of Germany, in particular Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. The name also appears to have Ring some traction in the United States, with many encouraging records of the name appearing in recent decades.

The Witthöfft family remains a proud name to bear, with its traditional signifying intelligence, industry and fidelity. Those who bear the name should take pride in its history and lineage, and continue the proud tradition into the future.

Witthöfft: Where does the name Witthöfft come from?

The last name Witthöfft is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a surname originating from the Old Saxon language, meaning “with the fox”, but is pronounced with a near-silent “W”, like “Vitthofft”. The name has its earliest origins as a place name, first seen in the 12th century in the form “Witelof”, or “White Fox”, which was then simplefied to “Witthöfft”.

The earliest records of the name trace back to Lüneburg, a city located in the German state of Lower Saxony. The name Witthöfft was most notably used by 16th century writer Henrich Vitthofft and by physicist Martin Vitthofft, who was granted nobility for his scientific achievements in honour of the Prussian court. This version of the surname can also be found in areas of Prussia, as the family spread throughout the 17th century.

In modern times, the surname can still be found with higher frequency in northern and central Germany, likely due to this original migratory pattern. The name is most notably located in the regions of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holand, Brandenburg and Berlin. Additionally, it can also be seen in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland. All variations of the name, such as Vitthofft, Vettofft, Witthofft, Wittofft, Wittfott and Wittefot, are common amongst German-speaking populations and can be found within Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North and South America, and beyond.

Variations of the surname Witthöfft

The surname Witthöfft has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. One of the most common variants is Witthoff. Other variants are Wittkopp, Witthoft, Witthofts, Witthoff, Wittkopps, Widtkopp, Widtkopps, Wiedtkopp, Wiedtkopps, Vittkopp, Vittkopps, Widekopp, Wetthoff, Wethoff, Wetthoff, Wethoff, Wethof, Vithof, Vidhof, and Vidhhof.

The spelling of the surname can also be varied. For example, the 'h' after the 't' in 'Witthöfft' is often replaced with 'hö' or 'höf', which results in spellings such as 'Witthöf', 'Wittohöf', 'Whitthoff', and 'Whitthöff'.

Another common way of spelling the name is with a 'W' and 't' instead of a 'W' and 'h', resulting in spellings such as 'Witttöfft', 'Wittöfft', 'Witttofft', and 'Whittoff'.

The surnames of the same origin as Witthöfft are Witt, Wittmann, Witthauer, Wittkopf, Wittkampf, Witthausen, Witter, Wittmack, Wittmann, Wittig, Wittem, Wittemeier, and Wittmer.

In conclusion, the surname Witthöfft has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, each of which is used in a variety of ways, depending on the specific region or country in which it is found. Variants of the name, such as Wittkopp and Vittkopp, are more often used in the German-speaking world, while the spellings Wittohöf and Witttofft are more commonly seen in the English-speaking world. Additionally, the surnames Witt and Wittmann are also commonly found in both German-speaking and English-speaking countries. No matter the variant, spelling, or surname of the same origin, all of these are connected to the same family and origin.

Famous people with the name Witthöfft

• Rudolf Witthöfft: German actor, born in 1938. He is best known for his role as Chonchon in the 1973 French-German film Qui êtes-vous, polly maggoo?
• Gisela Jacuba-Witthöfft: German actress, born in 1957. She is best known for her role as Ingrid in the German TV series Zwei bei Kallwass.
• Uwe Witthöfft: Former German footballer, born in 1954. He played for Eintracht Frankfurt and was part of their successful 1977-1978 team that won the Bundesliga title.
• Christoph Witthöfft: German actor, born in 1974. He is best known for his role as Alex in the German TV series Sesamstraße.
• Alexandra Witthöfft: German film and television actress, born in 1983. She is best known for her role as Helene in the 2010 German film Die Frau am Strand.
• Christin Witthöfft: German actress, born in 1978. She is best known for her role as Claudia in the German TV series Wilsberg.
• Thorsten Witthöfft: German actor, born in 1969. He is best known for his role as Carsten in the German TV series Kanzlei Heller und Partner.
• Andreas Witthöfft: German actor, born in 1975. He is best known for his role as Thomas in the German TV series Alles oder Nichts.
• Svetlana and Ekaterina Witthöfft: Russian figure skaters, born in 1974 and 1987 respectively. The pair have represented Germany in both the World and European Championships.

Other surnames

Witthöft