Surname Loff - Meaning and Origin
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Loff: What does the surname Loff mean?
The last name Loff is believed to be of German origins, derived from terms such as “Loffen” or “Loffsman”, indicating a person who lived in a region of old Germany known as “Lauffen”. This region got its name from the Old High German word “Laufa,” which means “meadow.” Thus, the name Loff is a sort of locational or territorial recipient, referring to a person who once lived in a meadow.
Similarly, some take the meaning of Loff to be Dutch in origin, where “Loffen” was a nickname for someone large and tall. The surname could thus also be a nickname which stuck as an indicator of a family’s history and origin.
The surname Loff had an interesting tendency of occurring a few times in a small region and then becoming sparse again. Today, the name is rare worldwide, and those who bear it are widely scattered.
Despite the spelling variations in the spelling of "Loff" like "Löff", "Loef", "Loff", and "Loffe", the meaning remains the same. It is possible that those with the last name are related to each other, but due to the lack of records or difficulty connecting with each other, the relationship cannot be confidently established.
The name Loff may be of German or Dutch origins. It could possibly be a nickname or a locational indicator of origin. Despite the presence of the surname in history, it is now rare and those with it are widely scattered.
Order DNA origin analysisLoff: Where does the name Loff come from?
The last name Loff is most commonly seen in Europe, particularly the northern countries like Sweden, Finland, and Germany. It is also seen in some other parts of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. However, the surname can also be found in countries outside of Europe, such as the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Peru, to name a few.
The form of the surname Loff may vary slightly depending on the language and country. In many countries, it is spelled Åhl, Öhl, Ohl or Ehl, while in English it is usually written as Loff.
The origin of the surname Loff is not fully known, but it is believed to derive from an Old German personal name “Al-o”, which was a nickname for someone who was strong or brave. It could also originate from the name of an ancestral place where people of the same name resided, or even the legendary character Alv, from Norse mythology.
The Loff surname is also found in records from as early as the 15th century in Norway. It was probably most common during medieval times as a patronymic name, the same as the Öhl or Ohl variants, which most likely derived from the name of a father.
Today, the surname Loff is still quite common in Europe and can be found in various spellings throughout the world. It is also popular with members of the Scandinavian-American community, descendants of immigrants from the Nordic countries.
Variations of the surname Loff
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Loff includes Lough, Loughfe, Loffe, Lof, Loffi, Loffy, Loffie, Laoff, Laoffi, Laoffy, Laoffie, Loffman, Loffmus, Loffmann, Loffmans, Loffmuss, Lauff and Lauffmann.
The surname Loff is most likely derived from the Old German word ‘loh’ which is also spelled ‘lauch’, meaning a marshy or damp area near a water source. The Old German word loh or lauch is likely related to the Old English word ‘lough’, modern English ‘loo’, meaning a lake or pool.
The modern spellings of Laoff, Laoffi, Laoffy, and Laoffie are likely from the Middle High German spelling 'loff' which stems from the Old German 'loh' meaning marsh.
The spelling Loffman is likely derived from the surname Lopman which is derived from the Middle Dutch word ‘lopman, or 'loppeman' meaning someone who travels by foot for trade or work.
The German spelling of Lof is likely derived from the Middle High German term 'lof' meaning praise, which is likely related to the Old English word 'lof'meaning fame or glory.
The surname Loffi, Loffy and Loffie may be derived from the Old Norse ‘lof’ meaning ‘glory’ or ‘praise’.
Finally, the surnames Loffmus and Loffmuss are likely derived from the Middle High German 'loff' and 'mus', which is used as a first or last name for someone or a family who originally lived near a marsh.
Famous people with the name Loff
- Saira Loff: Australian editor and presenter.
- Bill Loff: former professional football player.
- Rachel Loff: actor known for roles in Disney productions.
- Jeff Loff: deckbuilder and former professional Magic the Gathering player.
- David Loff: acclaimed modern artist.
- Nic Loff: Australian jazz and contemporary music performer.
- Norman Loff: jazz guitarist and songwriter from the United States.
- Tom Loff: former professional basketball player.
- Sid Loff: comedian and actor, best known for his character ‘Butch Loff’ in the Friends sitcom.
- Cesar Loff: internationally-renowned architect and landscape designer.
- Peter Loff: American racing cyclist.
- George Loff: the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Score for ‘High Noon’.
- Luiz Loff: Brazilian engineer and professor at the University of São Paulo.
- Andre Loff: Russian conductor and composer of classical and jazz music.
- Jock Loff: professional wrestler, known for his catch phrase ‘C’mon, Loff’.
- Silvio Loff: Brazilian Paralympic basketball player.
- Margaret Loff: Olympic figure skater from Canada.
- Jonathan Loff: English actor best known for his role in the Jack Black horror comedy ‘Goosebumps’.
- Oz Loff: Australian cricketer.
- Virginia Loff: Argentine author and illustrator of fantasy and science-fiction children's books.