Surname Höffele - Meaning and Origin
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Höffele: What does the surname Höffele mean?
The last name Höffele is German in origin and comes from the Old German word “höf”, which translates to “a gathering place at the court of a Frankish lord or prince.” As a result of this, Höffele is alternatively spelled as Hofele or Hoffele and the root word höf is sometimes spelled as Hof and Hoff.
During the Germanic tribal period, it was common to mark a region with a hof, as a sign of social and political organization. The hof was used to identify land ownership and confer authority over the local people. Eventually, hofs developed into a settlement with an estate including a manor house and accompanying court or estate. This came to be known as an Oberhof or high hof, indicating that the hof was a manor house of an important person.
Höffele and its variants, Hofele and Hoffele, were derived as a form of occupational last names, deriving from a person who was employed as a servant or feudal worker at such a hof estate. In addition to referring to a nobleman, the word höf also refers to a dwelling or house with a courtyard. Thus, Höffele can be taken to mean someone who lived in a house with a court or enclosure.
Order DNA origin analysisHöffele: Where does the name Höffele come from?
The last name Höffele is typically found in German-speaking areas, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Historically, the Höffele family was found mostly in the southwestern region of Germany, namely the Palatinate, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg areas.
The first known recordings of the name date back to the 13th century at Bad Mergentheim in Württemberg. There were spellings of the name that include Hoofele, Huffele, Hoffele, Hoefele, Häffele and Hueffele.
The last name Höffele is still seen today in Germany, especially in the region where the family is believed to have originated. The most popular places are regions close to Ulm, which is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg and home to a museum dedicated to the Höffele family. Additionally, it is common in the town of Schwaigern, located in the Heilbronn district of Baden-Württemberg.
In Austria, the last name Höffele is seen in cities like Vienna and Innsbruck, as well as in the mountainous state of Tyrol and the Alpine provinces of Vorarlberg and Salzburg. In Switzerland, the last name is found in the canton of Zurich, as well as in Aargau and Thurgau.
It is worth noting that the last name Höffele is not a common one, ranking very low when comparing it to other surnames. In Germany, it ranks 4,292 and in Austria, it is ranked at 2,739 according to the 2020 census. Furthermore, it is unlikely that you will find many individuals with this surname living outside of German-speaking countries.
Variations of the surname Höffele
The surname Höffele is a German name of a noble family, which is today quite rare. Its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include:
Hoeffle: This is the most common spelling of the surname. It is an anglicized version of the original name, used by many German immigrants to the US when they first arrived.
Höffle: This is the original spelling of the name. It is still used in Germany and Austria today.
Hoefle: Another variant of this name is used in some parts of Germany today. It refers to the same origin as the Höffle and Hoeffle variants.
Höfeler: This is a variant of the original name and its spelling used in Austria.
Höfler: This is a variant of the spelling used in some parts of Germany.
Höffelein: This is a diminutive of the original name, also used in Germany and Austria.
Höfflinger: This is another form of the original name used in Austria.
Höffner: This is a variant of the original name used in some parts of Germany today.
Hoffman: This is a variant of the original name and its spelling used in some parts of Germany today.
Hoffmann: Another variant of the original name, this spelling is most commonly found in parts of Germany and Austria today.
Hofele: This variant of the original name is used in some parts of Germany today.
There are also many other variants of the surname, such as Hofelein, Hoeffler, Hoffele, Hoffelin, Hoffer, Hoffler, Hoffmannin, Hoffmeister, Hoeflinger, and Höflinger. Ultimately, all these variants trace back to the same origin and refer to the same noble family.
Famous people with the name Höffele
- Christian Höffele: Former German professional ice hockey player
- Hartmut Höffele: German artist and sculptor
- Annemarie Höffele: German judge and author
- Johannes Hoeffele: German economist
- Nancy Höffele: American physician
- Edward Höffele: German Holocaust survivor and political activist
- Wolfgang Höffele: German engineer
- Thomas Höffele: Austrian soccer player
- Hans Höffele: German carpenter and philanthropist
- Gertrud Höffele: German theologian
- Christina Höffele: German Bible Translator
- Olaf Hoeffele: German physicist
- Harald Höffele: Austrian basketball player
- Heinrich Höffele: German explorer and ethnomusicologist