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Hoffman Family History

Hoffman Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Hoffmann or Hofmann and a variant of the Jewish name. Compare Hofman Dutch: variant of Hofman

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Hoffmann, Roffman, Hofman, Koffman, Hopman, Holzman, Goffman, Hofmann

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Hoffman family from?

You can see how Hoffman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Hoffman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Hoffman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 428 Hoffman families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 39% of all the recorded Hoffman's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Hoffman families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Hoffman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Hoffman ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Hoffman. 11% of Hoffman men worked as a Farmer and 7% of Hoffman women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Hoffman were Clerk and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Hoffman | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    11%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Clerk
    5%
  • Teacher
    5%
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What Hoffman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 674,000 census records available for the last name Hoffman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Hoffman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Hoffman

Passenger Lists

There are 79,000 immigration records available for the last name Hoffman. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Hoffman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 145,000 military records available for the last name Hoffman. For the veterans among your Hoffman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Hoffman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Hoffman family history

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What is the average Hoffman lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Hoffman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Hoffman in 1940 was 60, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Hoffman

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Hoffman family tree

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