Surname Koffenburger - Meaning and Origin
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Koffenburger: What does the surname Koffenburger mean?
The surname Koffenburger is a German locational name that most likely originated from the city of Köffen in the Rhineland Palatinate region of Germany. Its earliest known inhabitant was Count Godefried of Köffen, who lived in the 11th century and is first mentioned in the Köffen Tower Book in 1086.
The literal translation of the surname Koffenburger is “from the town of Köffen,” which likely referred to families who had previously lived in the city before immigrating after the town’s destruction by fire during the Thirty Years’ War. Over time, “Koffenburger” developed into a cognomen, and those who kept the surname are likely descendants of the original inhabitants of the town of Köffen.
Subsequent bearers of the name likely immigrated to destinations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries throughout the world in search of new opportunities. Although this name is not especially common, it still appears today in various countries, signifying that many descendants of Köffen’s original inhabitants have been able to maintain their identity through this ancestral surname.
Order DNA origin analysisKoffenburger: Where does the name Koffenburger come from?
The last name Koffenburger is common mainly in the United States and Canada. Census records show that there are over 800 individuals with the surname Koffenburger living in the U.S. today. Most of these are concentrated in the Midwestern and Western United States, including states like Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Colorado.
In Canada, the surname is much rarer; fewer than 250 individuals have the name Koffenburger in the entire country. This distribution appears to be related to the locations immigrant ancestors of the Koffenburger family came from. In the U.S., they are most numerous in Midwest and West, whereas they are more common in Quebec and Ontario in Canada.
The surname originates from Germany, where it is very rare today. Fewer than 200 individuals have this surname in Germany, and it is primarily located in the states of Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Lower Saxony. It is likely, however, that Koffenburger families left their home country many decades ago for better opportunities in North America.
Variations of the surname Koffenburger
The surname Koffenburger has several variants, spellings and surnames which are of the same origin. Variants of this surname include Koffenburg, Koffenburger, Kovenburger and Goffenburg. Spellings of the surname include Kovenburger, Koffanburg, Kaffnberger, Caffenburger, Gaffenburg and Gaffenburger.
Surnames of the same origin as Koffenburger include Koffman, Kovenberg, Goffman, Gafenburg, Gaffenberger and Kaffenberger. Koffman is derived from a German surname meaning the homestead of a person known as Koff or Koffmann, while Kovenberg is derived from the same root as Koffenburger and means "coven burgh" or "a court fortified mound." Goffman is derived from a pet form of the name Godefrid or Godfred, which means God's peace, while Gafenburg is derived from the same root as Goffman. Gaffenberger is derived from a German word which means "a person from the court fortified mound" and Kaffenberger is based on a similar dictionary definition.
All of these names have their roots in the same German origins, the most common being Koffenburger. The origins of the names refer to the medieval practice of building an enclosed fortified mound to defend a court or a homestead. These surnames show the regionally-spoken language of the time and provides clues to the ancestral history, family connections, and geographical locations of the individuals who carried these names.
Famous people with the name Koffenburger
- Alexandra Koffenberger: German athlete, specialized in track and field events.
- Kevin Koffenburger: American artist and musician.
- Dusky Koffenburger: American fashion designer and model.
- Sydney Koffenburger: Canadian actor and producer.
- John Koffenburger: German entrepreneur and businessman.
- Dean Koffenburger: founder of Koffenburger Consultants, a business consultancy firm.
- Austin Koffenburger: British sculptor and painter.
- Cheyenne Koffenburger: Australian professional surfer.
- Carl Koffenburger: American cyclist and six-time Olympic medalist.
- AI Koffenburger: American tennis player.