NameCensus.

UK surname

Hoff

Derived from a German place name or topographic name referring to a courtyard or farmyard.

In the 1881 census there were 226 people recorded with the Hoff surname, ranking it #11,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 400, ranked #11,879, up from #11,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sherborne and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Arun, Salford and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hoff is 400 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.0%.

1881 census count

226

Ranked #11,889

Modern count

400

2016, ranked #11,879

Peak year

2016

400 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hoff had 226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 400 in 2016, ranked #11,879.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hoff surname distribution map

The map shows where the Hoff surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Hoff surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hoff over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 130 #14,314
1861 historical 201 #11,949
1881 historical 226 #11,889
1891 historical 254 #12,598
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 368 #11,719
1998 modern 372 #12,008
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 365 #12,196
2001 modern 353 #12,293
2002 modern 378 #11,939
2003 modern 371 #11,901
2004 modern 367 #12,028
2005 modern 346 #12,464
2006 modern 337 #12,810
2007 modern 348 #12,637
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 369 #12,600
2012 modern 367 #12,499
2013 modern 390 #12,151
2014 modern 397 #12,076
2015 modern 398 #11,949
2016 modern 400 #11,879

Geography

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Where Hoffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sherborne, Manchester and Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Arun, Salford, Winchester and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Sherborne Dorset
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments) Lincolnshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Arun 017 Arun
2 Salford 010 Salford
3 Winchester 012 Winchester
4 Barnet 037 Barnet
5 Arun 016 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hoff

These lists show first names that appear often with the Hoff surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hoff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hoff, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Hoff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hoff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hoff is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hoff is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hoff falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hoff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hoff, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hoff

The surname HOFF originated in Germany and has its roots dating back to the medieval period. It was derived from the Old High German word "hof," which meant a courtyard or a small village. This name was typically given to those who lived in or near a courtyard or small hamlet.

During the Middle Ages, the HOFF surname was concentrated in various regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River. It is believed that some of the earliest instances of this name can be found in historical records from the 12th and 13th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the HOFF surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the former Kingdom of Saxony, which includes entries from as early as the 11th century.

The earliest recorded individual with the HOFF surname is believed to be Johannes Hoff, a landholder in the region of Saxony, who lived during the late 13th century. Another early example is Konrad Hoff, a merchant from the town of Cologne, who is mentioned in a document dated 1347.

Over the centuries, the HOFF surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as Hoffstadt, Hoffheim, and Hoffen. Additionally, there have been several notable individuals bearing this name throughout history.

One such individual was Johann Hoff (1549-1612), a German theologian and pastor who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. Another notable figure was Hans Hoff (1730-1792), a Swiss mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, Karl Ernst Adolf von Hoff (1771-1837) was a Prussian general who served in the Napoleonic Wars, while Wilhelm Hoff (1820-1892) was a German chemist known for his work on the structure of benzene.

Perhaps one of the most famous individuals with the HOFF surname was the American actor David Hasselhoff (born 1952), whose surname is a variation of Hoff, and who gained international fame for his roles in popular television series like "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hoff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hoff surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 45 Hoffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.65x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 45 12.65x
Middlesex 30 1.35x
Dorset 22 15.07x
Lancashire 19 0.72x
Yorkshire 17 0.77x
Kent 10 1.32x
Surrey 10 0.92x
Cheshire 9 1.83x
Warwickshire 9 1.60x
Northumberland 8 2.42x
Hampshire 6 1.32x
Gloucestershire 5 1.15x
Leicestershire 5 2.03x
Durham 4 0.60x
Midlothian 3 1.01x
Norfolk 3 0.88x
Northamptonshire 3 1.43x
Staffordshire 3 0.40x
Derbyshire 2 0.57x
Kincardineshire 2 7.39x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.67x
Royal Navy 2 7.55x
Worcestershire 2 0.69x
Ayrshire 1 0.60x
Cumberland 1 0.52x
Essex 1 0.23x
Fife 1 0.76x
Oxfordshire 1 0.73x
Stirlingshire 1 1.22x
Wiltshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sherborne in Dorset leads with 20 Hoffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 465.12x.

Place Total Index
Sherborne 20 465.12x
Manchester 11 9.27x
Spilsby 9 796.46x
Monks Coppenhall 8 43.17x
Camberwell 7 4.93x
Edgbaston 7 40.25x
Louth 7 85.89x
Portsea 6 6.72x
St Pancras London 6 3.35x
Tynemouth 6 33.86x
Woolwich 6 21.41x
Ashby De La Zouch 5 87.41x
Kirton 5 352.11x
Ottringham 5 1136.36x
Toynton St Peter 5 2000.00x
Ulceby 5 574.71x
Ashchurch 4 784.31x
Normanby In 4 67.91x
Paddington London 4 4.89x
Sheffield 4 5.70x
Alkborough 3 1000.00x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.10x
Bromley London 3 6.13x
Chelsea London 3 4.48x
Daventry 3 101.35x
Sedgefield 3 127.12x
Walsall Borough 3 51.46x
Ashborne 2 84.39x
Birmingham 2 1.07x
Bromley 2 17.29x
Heriot 2 606.06x
Horncastle 2 54.50x
Kings Norton 2 7.68x
Kirkdale 2 4.50x
Laurencekirk 2 127.39x
North South Killingholme 2 338.98x
Oswaldtwistle 2 21.46x
Otford 2 188.68x
Poplar London 2 4.76x
Royal Navy 2 8.83x
Sculcoates 2 5.72x
St George In East London 2 9.56x
St Luke London 2 5.61x
Stickney 2 377.36x
Toxteth Park 2 2.24x
Weymouth 2 72.20x
Wormegay 2 555.56x
Alnwick 1 17.57x
Basford 1 7.24x
Bicker 1 181.82x
Birkenhead 1 2.55x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.43x
Cheetham 1 5.08x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.90x
Coates 1 2500.00x
Cupar 1 17.45x
Dreghorn 1 33.22x
Eagle 1 285.71x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 25.38x
Falkirk 1 5.21x
Fleet 1 99.01x
Greasley 1 14.79x
Halifax 1 3.09x
Haltwhistle 1 62.11x
Kensington London 1 0.81x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Liverpool 1 0.62x
Nether Hallam 1 3.35x
Newington 1 1.22x
Oxford St Clement 1 28.82x
Prittlewell 1 16.45x
Putney 1 9.86x
Scremby 1 769.23x
Shouldham Thorpe 1 476.19x
South Shields 1 16.98x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 33.90x
Trowbridge 1 11.51x
West Newton Allonby 1 149.25x
Westminster St James 1 4.37x
Westminster St Margaret 1 9.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hoff surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 6
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Martha 4
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Agusta 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Emily 1
F. 1
Hanness 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hedwig 1
Hinda 1
Kate 1
Keriah 1
Kiziah 1
Mabel 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Maude 1
May 1
Milly 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Selina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hoff surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 19
George 8
Charles 6
Henry 6
James 6
John 6
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Michael 3
Robert 3
Alexander 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Max 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Amises 1
Andrew 1
August 1
Christopher 1
Fredrick 1
Henrick 1
Herbert 1
Hyman 1
Jarvis 1
Johney 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Stephen 1
Til. 1
Victor 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Hoff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hoff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 226 people were recorded with the Hoff surname. That placed it at #11,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hoff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 400 in 2016. That gives Hoff a modern rank of #11,879.

What does the Hoff surname mean?

Derived from a German place name or topographic name referring to a courtyard or farmyard.

What does the Hoff map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hoff bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.