Surname Niehof - Meaning and Origin

Niehof: What does the surname Niehof mean?

The last name Niehof is of Dutch origin and is an occupational name for a person who worked in a barn, specifically, a granary. This designation comes from the Dutch words "nieuwhof," which are derived from the Middle Dutch words "nevwhof," meaning "new barn."

The Niehofs were a farming family, and often had many children who would carry on the Niehof name. They typically went about their daily lives working on farms and as granary keepers, overseeing the storage of grain for harvest and consumption, ensuring it remained in good condition during transit and storage.

It wasn't until the latter part of the 19th century that the Niehofs began to move away from the agricultural lifestyle, some becoming tradesmen, or entrepreneurs in other fields.

The Niehof name has continued to spread out across the world today, often following descendant's of the original farm-working families. These people can now be found in Europe, South America, North America, Australia, and other parts of the world.

Overall, the last name Niehof is a reminder of the hard-working, farming life that the family once lived, and continues to be a statement of where they came from and what their ancestors endured to provide for their family and future generations.

Niehof: Where does the name Niehof come from?

The last name Niehof is most commonly found in the Netherlands, having originated from Dutch settlers. Niehof is likely derived from the old Dutch words nie meaning wet or damp earth and hof meaning garden or enclosed area.

The highest concentration of Niehofs today is in the Drenthe province of the Netherlands, with smaller numbers found in the nearby provinces of Groningen and Friesland. Outside of the Netherlands, a small number of Niehofs can be found in Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Niehofs in the United States first began to emigrate from the Netherlands in the late 1880s, with nearly half of the existing Niehofs in the United States tracing their lineage back to the small Dutch village of Ruinen. Many of these immigrants went on to settle in Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Today, the Niehof surname is still fairly common in the Netherlands, and a handful of Niehofs can be found in other parts of the world. Many of these immigrants have maintained the Dutch spelling of the surname, but in some cases it has been changed to a more English-friendly version, such as Nehof or Niehoff.

Variations of the surname Niehof

Niehof is a Dutch family name which is derived from the words “nie” and “hof” which mean “new” and “court”. This name initially denoted a person who was a newcomer to a certain court or location.

Some of the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Niehofe, Neihof, Neijhof, Neihove, Niehove, Nehod, Neebhoh, Naehoh, Nayhoh, Neehof, Neyhove, Niemeier, Niemeyer, and Nyhofe.

Niehof is a common surname in Germany. The name has spread over time to other countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. It is popular in the Netherlands, where it can be found in abundance.

In Germany, many of the spellings of the surname have had slight variations over time. The surname Niehof is found mostly in the northwestern region, while the variant Neijhof is more common in the northern region.

The surnames Neyhove and Niehove are also found in the Netherlands and other Dutch speaking countries. They are a variant of the surname Niehof, and they have the same meaning.

In the United States, the variants and spellings of the Niehof surname have been Americanized to “Nyhof” and “Niehove”.

In South Africa, the surname Nyhofe is found, which is likely a derivative of the Dutch variant “Niehofe.”

In conclusion, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Niehof are Niehofe, Neijhof, Neihof, Neihove, Niehove, Nehod, Neebhoh, Naehoh, Nayhoh, Neehof, Neyhove, Niemeier, Niemeyer, and Nyhofe.

Famous people with the name Niehof

• Jeroen Niehof: Dutch Paralympic wheelchair tennis player.
• Joost Niehof: Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Christian Union.
• Jan Niehof: Dutch footballer and manager of the Dutch Under-19 team at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
• Willem-Alexander Niehof: Dutch film director and writer.
• Mariska Niehof: Dutch professional volleyball player.
• Herman Niehof: Dutch professor of Sanitary Engineering at Wageningen University and Research.
• Jan Niehof: Dutch Olympic judoka who won a gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
• Pieter Niehof: Dutch professional footballer.
• James Niehof: American director and producer of television programs.
• Clara Niehof: Dutch-English writer and translator.

Other surnames

Niehoff