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| Origins Available: |
| | Germany |
The name Hofler comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from". It originally indicated land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Hofler family originally lived on a farmstead. The name Hofler is derived from the Old German and German word hof, which means settlement, farm or court.
The surname Hofler was first found in Westphalia, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation. The name probably stems from the German word "Hof" meaning "court."
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hofler research. Another 359 words (26 lines of text) covering the years 1378, 1440, 1629, 1662, 1684, 1773 and 1829 are included under the topic Early Hofler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Hofler include Hof, Hoff, Hoffe, Hofer, Hoefer, Hoeffer, Hoffer, Hofle, Hoefe, Hofler, Hoefler, Hofner and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Hofler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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: Lorentz Hoff, who sailed to America in 1730; Gideon Hoffer sailed to Pennsylvania in 1732; Hans Jacob Hoff, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1733; Conrad Hoffler to Pennsylvania in 1751.