The surname Hoffman, found in Germany and throughout Central and Eastern Europe, is a status name for a steward on a farm or estate, from the German term hof(f) meaning “manor farm or courtyard” and Man meaning “man.” Originally, this was a status name for a farmer who owned his own land as opposed to holding it by rent or feudal obligation, but the name soon came to denote the manager or steward of a manor farm. The earliest references to the name date to the late 13th Century in Germany and include Konrad Hofer of Konstanz in 1272, Burchardus de Hoff also of Konstanz in 1294, and Berthold Hovelech of Mergentheim in 1298.Shop Our Products
