Korff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Korff derives from the Low German word "korb," which meant "basket." As a surname, Korff was originally occupational, used for a maker or vendor of baskets.

Early Origins of the Korff family

The surname Korff was first found in Westphalia, where the family became noted for its many branches within the region, many houses acquiring a status and influence which rivaled that of the landed aristocracy. In their later history some branches were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they distinguished themselves through their contributions to the social, political, and economic developments of the nation. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Henricus Corf, a knight who was raised into the noble class of Westphalia in 1241.

Early History of the Korff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Korff research. Another 324 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1380, 1483, 1578, 1692, 1697, 1734, 1740, 1766 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Korff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Korff Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Korff include Korff, Korf, Corff, Corf, Koerff, Koerf, Coerff, Coerf, Kerf, Kerff, Cerf, Cerff, Korfer, Korffer, Koerffer, Koerfer, Korver, Koever, Coever and many more.

Early Notables of the Korff family

Notables of the period with the name Korff were

Nicolas II von Korff, who was a famous colonel and military advisor in the war of Poland against Sweden

Korff migration to the United States +

For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them:

Korff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Henrich Korff, a Hessian soldier on record in North America in 1777

Korff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Korff, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 1
Carl and Marie Korff, who settled in Texas in 1853

Contemporary Notables of the name Korff (post 1700) +

Henry Korff, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Nebraska State House of Representatives 15th District, 1915 2
Alice Graeme Korff (1904-1975), American art critic, trustee of the Corcoran Gallery of Art
Werner Korff (b. 1911), German bronze medalist ice hockey player at the 1932 Winter Olympics
André Korff (b. 1973), German professional road bicycle racer
Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff (1824-1882), Dutch genre painter
Arnold Korff (1870-1944), Austrian-born Hollywood actor and director who appeared in 72 films between 1917 and 1935

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html