HoferleGerman (Austrian) Means "Yard Clearing" from a Combination of the Austrian word Höfer meaning "yard" or "court" with the ancient suffix "le" meaning woodland or clearing.
HoffGerman Means "yard, court, farmyard", from Germanic hof.
HoffaGerman Altered form of Hofer. This surname was borne by American labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa (1913-1975?).
HofferGerman The name Hoffer is derived from the Old German and German word hof, which means settlement, farm or court.
HofstedeDutch Means "farmstead, property; farmhouse with land" in Dutch, a compound of Old Dutch hof "yard, court" and stat "place, location, abode, town".
HolbrookEnglish, German (Anglicized) English: habitational name from any of various places, for example in Derbyshire, Dorset, and Suffolk, so called from Old English hol ‘hollow’, ‘sunken’ + broc ‘stream’. ... [more]
HolcombEnglish Habitational name from any of various places, for example in Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Oxfordshire, and Somerset, so named from Old English hol meaning "hollow", "sunken", "deep" + cumb meaning "valley".
HolderGerman, Jewish, English 1. German: topographic name for someone who lived by an elder tree. Middle High German holder, or from a house named for its sign of an elder tree. In same areas, for example Alsace, the elder tree was believed to be the protector of a house... [more]
HolladayEnglish English: from Old English haligdæg ‘holy day’, ‘religious festival’. The reasons why this word should have become a surname are not clear; probably it was used as a byname for one born on a religious festival day.
HollandsworthEnglish (British, Rare) Possibly an alternative spelling of Hollingsworth. Likely named after the town of Holisurde(1000s AD)/Holinewurth(1200s)/Hollingworth(Present) The town's name means "holly enclosure"
HolleyEnglish English (chiefly Yorkshire) topographic name from Middle English holing, holi(e) ‘holly tree’. Compare Hollen.
HollierEnglish, French Occupational name for a male brothel keeper, from a dissimilated variant of Old French horier "pimp", which was the agent noun of hore "whore, prostitute". Hollier was probably also used as an abusive nickname in Middle English and Old French.... [more]
HollifieldEnglish habitational name from a minor place called as "the holy field" (Old English holegn "holy" and feld "open country") perhaps Holyfield in Waltham Holy Cross (Essex) or less likely for linguistic reasons Hellifield (Yorkshire).
HollingsheadEnglish Habitational name from a lost place in County Durham called Hollingside or Holmside, from Old English hole(g)n "holly" and sīde "hillside, slope"; there is a Hollingside Lane on the southern outskirts of Durham city... [more]
HollingworthEnglish Habitational name for a person from the village in Greater Manchester and other villages as such, all derived from Old English holen "holly" and worþ "enclosure". Leta Stetter Hollingworth (1886-1939) was an American psychologist, educator, and feminist.
HollisEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived where holly trees grew.
HollisterEnglish An occupational name for a female brothel-keeper, a feminine form of Hollier.
HolloboneEnglish Common surname in the southeast England, predominantly Sussex
HollywoodEnglish Habitational name from any of various farms or hamlets in England called Hollywood such as one in Sandon and Burston (Staffordshire) perhaps named with Middle English holegn "holly" and wudu "wood".
HolmanDutch Topographic or habitational name from Dutch hol "hollow, hole" or Middle Dutch heule "arched bridge, weir". It can also derive from the given name Holle, a short form of names containing the element hold "loyal, faithful, gracious".
HolmanEnglish Uncertain etymology. Could be a topographic name derived from Old English holh "hollow, hole" or holm, which can mean either "holly" or "small island" (see Holme), combined with man "man, person"... [more]
HolsteinGerman habitational name from the province of Holstein long disputed between Germany and Denmark. This gets its name from holsten the dative plural originally used after a preposition of holst from Middle Low German holt-sate "dweller in the woods" (from Middle Low German holt "wood" and satesete "tenant")... [more]
HolteyGerman Old German name meaning "Wood Island". Holt means wood and ey means island. Family can be traced back to around 650 A.D. and is located in the Ruhr and Essen area of Germany.
HolthausGerman North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a copse (a small group of trees), from Middle Low German holt ‘small wood’ + haus ‘house’.
HoltzclawGerman (Anglicized, Modern) Americanized spelling of German Holzklau, which translates into modern German as "wood thief", but is probably a nickname for someone who gathered wood, from Middle High German holz "wood" + a derivative of kluben "to pick up", "gather", "steal".
HoltzmannUpper German, German Derived from the Upper German word "holz," which means "forest." Thus many of the names that evolved from this root work have to do with living in the woods
HolyfieldEnglish, Scottish Although the Scottish surname is known to derive from the Medieval Latin word "olifantus," meaning "elephant," its origins as a surname are quite uncertain. ... He was one of the many Anglo-Norman nobles that were invited northward by the early Norman kings of Scotland.
HolyoakEnglish Habitational name from Holy Oakes (Leicestershire) or else a topographic name from residence near a "holy oak" (or "gospel oak") from Middle English holy "holy" and oke "oak" (from Old English halig and ac).
HölzelGerman The surname of Austrian singer Johann "Hans" Hölzel (1957-1998), better known by his stage name Falco.
HolzhauerGerman Occupational name for a "lumberjack, woodsman" with the element holz "forest".
HolzheimGerman The meaning of Holzheim is " wood home". Holz=wood and heim=home. ... [more]
HolzingerGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from any of various places called Holzing or Holzingen.
HolzklauGerman From Middle High German holz ‘wood’ + a derivative of klūben ‘to pick up, gather, steal’. It means "wood thief" but it was probably more likely used as nickname for someone who gathered wood
HolzschuhGerman Occupational - from German holz "wood", and schuh "shoe".
HomanDutch From Old Dutch hovitman "leader, head man, chief". Alternatively, the Dutch form of Hoffmann.
HoneyballEnglish From Honeyball, a medieval personal name of uncertain origin: perhaps an alteration of Annabel, or alternatively from a Germanic compound name meaning literally "bear-cub brave" (i.e. deriving from the elements hun "warrior, bear cub" and bald "bold, brave").
HoodEnglish Habitational or topographic name derived from Old English hod "hood, hat", referring to a hood-shaped hill, or possibly taking from the older meaning of "shelter, cover".
HoogenboomDutch Means "high tree" in Dutch, from hoog "high" and boom "tree", a topographic name for someone living by a tall tree, or a habitational name from places called Hoogboom and Hogenboom in the Belgian province of Antwerp... [more]
HoogendijkDutch Derived from Dutch hoog meaning "high, elevated" and dijk meaning "dike, ditch, levee", referring to someone who lived near a high dyke or embankment.
HoogendoornDutch From any of several place names derived from either hoog "high" or haag "hedge" combined with doorn "thorn bush".
HoogeveenDutch From any of several places called Hoogeveen, derived from Dutch hoog "high, elevated" and veen "peat bog, marsh".
HooglandDutch A toponoymic or habitational surname meaning "highland", derived from Middle Dutch hooch "high" and lant "land".
HoogteijlingDutch Habitational name from Hoogteilingen, derived from hoogh "high" and the toponym Teijlingen, from Old Dutch *tagla "tail, narrow ridge".
HooijkaasDutch Meaning uncertain, spelling possibly altered by folk etymology.
HoornGerman (Austrian) From the Germanic word horn meaning "horn". This was an occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn or who played a horn, or a person who lived near a horn-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.
HopDutch Variant form of Hopp. Alternatively, an occupational name derived from Dutch hop referring to the common hop (Humulus lupus), a kind of plant traditionally used to preserve and flavour beer.
HörmannGerman The distinguished surname Hormann is of very ancient German origin. It is derived from a Germanic personal name made up of the elements "heri," meaning "army," and "man," meaning "man."
HornbyEnglish A habitational name from locations called Hornby in northern England, though predominantly associated with Lancashire. Derived from the Norse horni meaning "horn" and býr meaning "farm" or "settlement".
HorneckerGerman Habitational name denoting someone from any of various places called Horneck.
HornerEnglish 1 English, Scottish, German, and Dutch: from Horn 1 with the agent suffix -er; an occupational name for someone who made or sold small articles made of horn, a metonymic occupational name for someone who played a musical instrument made from the horn of an animal, or a topographic name for someone who lived at a ‘horn’ of land.... [more]
HorneyGerman (Anglicized) German: Eastphalian or Americanized form of a personal name composed of the Germanic elements hard ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’ + nit ‘battle fury’, ‘eagerness to fight’, or a habitational name from a place so called in Brandenburg or in the Rhineland... [more]
HornsbyEnglish A habitational name from Cumbria, derived from the Norse Ormr meaning "serpent" and býr meaning "farm". Similar in form to Hornby, Hornsby is a widespread surname in northern England.
HoseasonEnglish Means "son of Hosea", a personal name that was originally probably Osie, a pet-form of Oswald, but came to be associated with the biblical personal name Hosea.
HoseasonEnglish The roots of the Hoseason family name are in ancient Scotland with the Viking settlers. Hoseason was derived from the name Aassi, which is a Old Norse form of the Old English personal name Oswald, which means divine power... [more]
HoseasonEnglish The roots of the Hoseason family name are in ancient Scotland with the Viking settlers. Hoseason was derived from the name Aassi, which is a Old Norse form of the Old English personal name Oswald, which means divine power... [more]
HosekinDutch (Archaic) Occupational name for a maker or seller of hose (garments for the legs), from Middle Dutch hose "stocking, boot".
HoseyEnglish Typically from the name of the area of Houssaye in the Seine-Maritime region of Normandy. A more unusual derivation shows that some in some cases the name finds its roots in the word hussey, an Old English nickname female head of household.
HosmerEnglish From the Old English name Osmaer, a combination of the Old English elements oss, meaning "god", and maer, meaning "fame".
HosnerGerman Occupational name for a knitter of hose (garments for the legs), from the plural form of Middle High German hose + the agent suffix -er (see Hose 3).
HostetlerGerman The name itself comes from the word Hostet or Hochstatt meaning "high place". Thus Hostetler is someone living in a high place or on high ground.
HottmannGerman probably either from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with hut "protection helmet" (compare German hut "hat")... [more]
HotzGerman (Swiss), German, Hungarian Of debated origin and meaning; theories include a habitional name for someone from the Hotzenwald, a derivation from any given name containing the Germanic name element hadu "battle, combat" and a derivation from the verb hotzen "to swing, to sway, to tremble".
HouckGerman Nickname from Middle Dutch houck, a marine fish, or from Middle Dutch hoec, houck ‘buck’. variant of Hoek.
HoughEnglish English: habitational name from any of various places, for example in Cheshire and Derbyshire, so named from Old English hoh ‘spur of a hill’ (literally ‘heel’). This widespread surname is especially common in Lancashire... [more]
HoughtonEnglish Habitational name derived from any of several locations across England, usually derived from Old English hoh "heel, hough, point of land" and tun "town, settlement, enclosure"... [more]
HousemanEnglish Referred to a man who lived or worked in a house, as opposed to a smaller hut (see House). Famous bearers of this name include Romanian-British-American actor John Houseman (1902-1988; real name Jacques Haussmann), Argentine soccer player René Houseman (1953-2018) and Canadian actor Tyson Houseman (1990-).
HowarthEnglish "From a hedged estate", from Old English haga ("hedge, haw") and worð ("farm, estate"). Likely originating from the Yorkshire village of the same name. Common in Lancashire and recorded from at least 1518, as Howorthe, with an earlier version of Hauewrth in Gouerton dated 1317 recorded in the Neubotle charters.
HowdyshellAmerican, German Americanized (i.e., Anglicized) form of the Swiss German Haudenschild, which originated as a nickname for a ferocious soldier, literally meaning "hack the shield" from Middle High German houwen "to chop or hack" (imperative houw) combined with den (accusative form of the definite article) and schilt "shield".
HowesEnglish Pronounced to rhyme with hose, a variant of Howe with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s. Hose (Leicestershire), recorded as Howes in 1086, is named with the plural of Old English hōh ‘hill spur’.... [more]
HowlettEnglish The name Howlett was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman personal name Hugh. Howlett was a baptismal name which means the son of Hugh... [more]
HowleyEnglish, Irish English habitational name from Howley in Warrington (Lancashire) or Howley in Morley (Yorkshire). The Lancashire name also appears as Hooley and Wholey while the Yorkshire placename comes from Old English hofe "ground ivy... [more]
HoxieEnglish They were first found in the settlement of Hawkshaw in the county of Lancashire. The surname Hoxie belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
HoylandEnglish, Norwegian English (South Yorkshire): habitational name from any of various places in South Yorkshire named with Old English hoh ‘hill spur’ + land ‘(cultivated) land’. ... [more]
HoyleWelsh, English Derived from Old English holh meaning "hole". It is thought to have originally been a name for someone who lived in a round hollow or near a pit.
HoytEnglish Generally a topographical name for someone who lived on a hill or other high ground. As such Hoyt is related to words such as heights or high. Hoyt is also possibly a nickname for a tall, thin person where the original meaning is said to be "long stick".
HrachGerman (Austrian, Rare), Czech (Rare) Originated in the Czech-speaking region of Bohemia in Austria, pre-1900. From Czech hrách, meaning "pea." Given either to a very short man or to a gardener.
HubenGerman The roots of the distinguished German surname Huben lie in the kingdom of Bavaria. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "huober," meaning "owner of a patch of farmland." The term "Hube" was used to denote a 40-acre hide of farmland... [more]
HübenthalGerman From either of two place names, derived from the older form Hufinadah meaning "valley where the hooves were".
HuckEnglish From the medieval personal name Hucke, which was probably descended from the Old English personal name Ucca or Hucca, perhaps a shortened form of Uhtræd influenced by a medieval form of Hugh... [more]
HuckabeeEnglish This surname originated as a habitational name, derived from Huccaby in Devon, England; this place name is derived from two Old English elements: the first, woh, meaning "crooked"; the second, byge, meaning "river bend".... [more]
HuckabyEnglish Means "person from Huccaby", Devon (perhaps "crooked river-bend"), or "person from Uckerby", Yorkshire ("Úkyrri's or Útkári's farmstead").
HuckleberryEnglish From the name of the variety of shrubs (genus Vaccinium) or the berries that grow on them. This is also the anglicized form of the German surname Hackelberg.