Hoeffer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The name Hoeffer 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," which was originally an indicator of land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Hoeffer family originally lived on a farmstead. The name Hoeffer is derived from the Old German and German word hof, which means settlement, farm or court.

Early Origins of the Hoeffer family

The surname Hoeffer 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."

Early History of the Hoeffer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoeffer 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 Hoeffer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoeffer 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 Hoeffer include Hof, Hoff, Hoffe, Hofer, Hoefer, Hoeffer, Hoffer, Hofle, Hoefe, Hofler, Hoefler, Hofner and many more.

Early Notables of the Hoeffer family

More information is included under the topic Early Hoeffer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoeffer 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:

Hoeffer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Franz Hoeffer, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 1
Nicholaus Hoeffer, who arrived in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 1

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)