Surname Hofmann - Meaning and Origin
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V. Hofmann
read moreHofmann: What does the surname Hofmann mean?
The last name Hofmann is of German origin and derives from two words: "hof," meaning "court" or "yard," and "mann," meaning "man." Thus, it translates to "court man" or "servant of the court." The name likely originated as an occupational surname for individuals who worked at a royal court, perhaps serving a noble or royal household. It could also imply that the person lived by a farm or a courtyard, indicating a geographical origin. Like many surnames, multiple spelling variants exist, which include Hoffmann, Hofman, or Huffman among others. Because of migration and the passage of time, people bearing the Hofmann surname can be found not only in Germany, but in many parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHofmann: Where does the name Hofmann come from?
The surname Hofmann is of German origin and it's derived from two words: "hof" meaning "court", and "mann" meaning "man". This surname was typically given to stewards or court officials in medieval times. It can be translated into English as "courtier" or "court man". Variations of the surname include Hoffman, Hoffmann, Hoffmans, and Hofman.
Today, the surname Hofmann is predominantly found in Germany, specifically in the regions of Bavaria and Hesse. Besides Germany, other countries with high prevalence of the name include Switzerland, Austria, and the United States, particularly among individuals of German descent. According to data from Forebears, as of 2014, Hofmann is the 508th most common surname in Germany and the 3,078th most common surname in the world.
Variations of the surname Hofmann
The surname Hofmann originates from German-speaking regions and has numerous variants, reflecting differences in regional dialects, phonetics, and historical spellings. Variations include Hofman, Hoffman, Hoffmann, and Hofemann. Associated surnames may include Hoff, Hofman, or Hof.
The uniform spelling of names did not become standardized until the advent of dictionary and grammar guides, so it was common for a single individual's name to be spelled differently throughout their life. The spelling variations of Hofmann mainly include different quantities of 'f' and 'n' in the name. Sometimes, there might be an additional ‘n’ at the end or the name might contain only one 'f'. Hence, Hoffmann and Hofman are both variants of the same name.
As Hofmann is a topographic surname - derived from an individual living on or near a farmyard or homestead (Hof in German) - other topographic German surnames like Bauer (farmer) or Müller (miller) could also be considered distantly related, but represent a different household occupation.
The distribution of the surname Hofmann is mostly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other regions of Central Europe. It can also be found among Ashkenazi Jewish populations, reflecting the historical diversity of Jewish surnames.
Famous people with the name Hofmann
- August Hofmann: German chemist who discovered phenol (1818-1892)
- Heike Hofmann: renowned German architect and professor (co-founder of the PCA: Platform of Creative Architecture)
- Sebastian Hofmann: German actor
- Eileen Hofmann: former Austrian rhythmic gymnast and world champion
- Clara Hofmann: Swiss-born American painter
- Martha Hofmann: Austrian socialist politician
- Christian Hofmann von Hofmannswaldau: German Baroque poet
- Ulrich Hofmann: German television and film director
- Robert Hofmann: German classical guitarist
- Ludwig Hofmann: German actor, director, and film producer
- Eberhard Hofmann: German general manager of Mercedes Benz
- Josef Hofmann: Polish-born and American-based virtuoso pianist and composer
- Karl-Heinz Hofmann: former German footballer
- Rudolf Hofmann: former German footballer
- Michael Hofmann: German poet, writer, and literary translator
- Dietmar Hofmann: Austrian handball goalkeeper
- Gustav Hofmann: German philosopher and physicist
- Titia Hofmann: Dutch actress
- Tammy Hofmann: vocalist and keyboardist
- Erich Hofmann: former German footballer