Etymograph

English

Hofer

Hofer comes from German Hofer ‘a native or inhabitant of Hof (placename)’, from Hof ‘yard, court, courtyard’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂wp- ‘to bend, arch, vault’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keh₂wp-‘to bend, arch, vault’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kéh₂wp-osreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hufą‘hill, farm’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hofreconstructed
  5. Old High Germanc. 750–1050hof
  6. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentHof‘yard, court, courtyard’
  8. German, derivedc. 1650–presentHofer‘a native or inhabitant of Hof (placename)’
  9. Englishtodaysame form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keh₂wp-‘to bend, arch, vault’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kéh₂wp-osreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hufą‘hill, farm’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hofreconstructed
  5. Old High Germanc. 750–1050hof
  6. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentHof‘yard, court, courtyard’
  8. German, derivedc. 1650–presentHofer‘a native or inhabitant of Hof (placename)’
  9. Englishtodaysame form

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *hufą ‘hill, farm’

hove, 1 more

through Proto-West Germanic *hof

hof, hovel, 1 more

Today it means

name A surname.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *keh₂wp- / Hofer

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