Find out how popular the last name Hoffner is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hoffner.

Hoffner, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Hoffner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hoffner in America

Hoffner is the 13764th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hoffner surname appeared 2,198 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Hoffner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hoffner to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Hoffner

The surname Hoffner originated in Germany, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Hof," meaning a courtyard or farm, combined with the suffix "-ner," indicating a person's occupation or place of residence. This suggests that the name likely originated among people who lived or worked on a farm or courtyard.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Hoffner can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the region of Brandenburg, where the name appears as "Hofener" in the year 1375.

In the 15th century, the name Hoffner appeared in several manuscripts and records from various regions of Germany. For instance, in 1427, a document from the town of Rottenburg mentions a certain "Hans Hoffner," who was likely a resident or landowner there.

As the name spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Hoffener, Hoffner, and Hoefner. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hoffner was Johann Hoffner, born in 1512 in the town of Nuremberg. He was a prominent merchant and member of the city council, leaving behind a legacy that contributed to the cultural and economic development of the region.

Another notable figure was Katharina Hoffner, born in 1587 in the town of Augsburg. She was a respected midwife and herbalist, renowned for her expertise in natural remedies and her compassionate care for mothers and infants.

In the 17th century, the Hoffner family established themselves as respected landowners and farmers in the region of Bavaria. One of their descendants, Friedrich Hoffner (1641-1718), was a respected farmer and local leader who played a significant role in the agricultural development of his community.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Hoffner continued to be associated with various professions and occupations. For instance, Andreas Hoffner (1712-1782) was a renowned clockmaker from the town of Freiburg, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by noble families and wealthy merchants.

Finally, in the 19th century, the Hoffner family produced several notable scholars and intellectuals. One such individual was Elise Hoffner (1821-1896), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Berlin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hoffner

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hoffner.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hoffner was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Hoffner has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Hoffner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hoffner, please contact us.

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