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Type Surname (from occupation)
Usage German, Jewish
Other Forms FormsHafnare, Hafner, Haffner, Hevner, Hevener

Meaning & History

Recorded in several spellings including Hafner, Haffner, and Hevner, this is as surname of early Germanic origins.

It derives from the pre 7th century occupational word 'hafner'; which described a maker of pottery, particularly earthenware bowls and pitchers of a large size, used for the transport of liquids by pack animals.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the importance of the product, this surname has produced one of the earliest of all known German surname recordings as no doubt the manufacture of such required items as bowls, would have created its own need for identification.

This first recording is that of Hugo Hafnare, a citizen of Konstanz in the year 1158, whilst a century later we have the recording of another Hugo, this time Hugo Hevner or Hevener, of Bellheim in Pfalz, in the records of that town in 1275.
Added 6/22/2017 by TanorFaux