Explore the Family Name Hoffmann
The meaning of Hoffmann
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): status name for a steward on a farm or estate, from German Hof(f) ‘farm, manor farm, courtyard’ + Mann ‘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, in which sense it is frequent also among Jews, since many Jews held managerial positions on non-Jewish estates. This form of the surname is also established in many other parts of Europe, notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine), Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Czechia, and the Netherlands. Compare Hofman, Hofmann, Homann, and Huffman. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Gerhard, Hans, Heinz, Otto, Dieter, Klaus, Wolfgang, Armin, Manfred, Ernst, Erwin.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Hoffmann in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Hoffmann witnessed a slight decrease in rank from 2082 in 2000 to 2136 in 2010, a decline of 2.59%. However, the overall count of individuals with the Hoffmann surname increased by 6.24% from 15,970 in 2000 to 16,966 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 also slightly fell by 2.87%, indicating a lessening density of this surname in the population.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,082 | #2,136 | -2.59% |
| Count | 15,970 | 16,966 | 6.24% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.92 | 5.75 | -2.87% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Hoffmann
In terms of ethnic identity, there were some notable shifts during the same period. According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the percentage of Hoffmanns identifying as White decreased slightly by 1.54%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic saw substantial increases of 37.5% and 41.45% respectively. The category of two or more races saw an even larger rise of 67.14%, while the Black demographic experienced a modest increase of 19.05%. Meanwhile, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a small reduction of 7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.56% | 95.07% | -1.54% |
| Hispanic | 1.93% | 2.73% | 41.45% |
| Two or More Races | 0.7% | 1.17% | 67.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.66% | 37.5% |
| Black | 0.21% | 0.25% | 19.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.13% | 0.12% | -7.69% |
Hoffmann ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Hoffmann is French & German, which comprises 42.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.1%) and Eastern European (10.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.4% |
| British & Irish | 27.1% |
| Eastern European | 10.4% |
| Other | 20.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Hoffmann
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Hoffmann have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Germany.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 59.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 59.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 59.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 59.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 59.00% |
What Hoffmann haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Hoffmann is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and I-Z58, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schmidt, Fischer, Hoffman, Meyers, Bauer, Mueller, Wolf, Wagner, Becker, Schneider.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Hoffmann surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Hoffmann have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Hoffmann" Surname 40.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Hoffmann" Surname 27.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Hoffmann" Surname 17.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Hoffmann" Surname 19.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Hoffmann?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Hoffmann are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition