Surname Paff - Meaning and Origin

Paff: What does the surname Paff mean?

The last name Paff is an occupational surname, stemming from the German word paffen, which roughly translates to "puff." Historically, the Paff surname was found in areas of Germany where coal mining, brewing, tobacco, and textile operations were commonly found, though it's now spread out over a variety of nations.

The most likely explanation for someone with the last name Paff being assigned this name was that they were involved in some type of trade that required puffs or currents of air, such as a bellows operator, a smith, or someone of a similar trade. The name has been spelled variously, including Paff, Pack, Paft, Paffen, Paffin, and others.

Due to its occupational origins, Paff is a fairly common name of German origin, but its occurrence in other countries is heavily dependent on the historical waves of German migration to those countries. While it can still be found in Germany and Austria, it’s also commonly found in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and in various parts of Canada, the United States, and South America.

Overall, the Paff surname signifies that a person was involved in an activity where a current of air was necessary, and that they are likely of German origin. As the name has spread across various parts of the world, it now represents not just someone’s work history, but also their heritage and the journey they have taken.

Paff: Where does the name Paff come from?

The surname Paff is thought to be of German origin, although there are other theories about its origins. It is not a particularly common name, but it can be found in many parts of the world. In the United States, Paff is most heavily concentrated in Pennsylvania, although it can also be found in Texas, California, and New York. In the UK, it is most commonly found in London and the south-east, although there are scattered occurrences elsewhere in England, Scotland, and Wales.

In Europe, Paff is most often found in Germany, especially Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg, as well as in Austria and Switzerland. It is also found in Australia, primarily in the state of Victoria, and in New Zealand, primarily in Auckland. Other countries where Paff is a more unusual, but identifiable, surname include Canada, South Africa, and Brazil.

Due to its origins in Europe, many of the people bearing the Paff surname today may have ancestors who emigrated from Europe to other countries, especially in the past two centuries. People with this surname can be found in a variety of professions, from farming and the arts to finance and engineering.

The surname Paff is not particularly common, but it is widely dispersed and can be found in pockets around the world.

Variations of the surname Paff

The surname Paff is derived from the German and Jewish surnames Paffen, Paffenberger, Paffenbarger, Paffenberger and Papfenberger. It is also related to the German surname Paulsen.

Variations include Paff, Pauff, Papff, Pavf, Pfaff, Pfapf, Phaff, Pfeif, Pfeffer, Pfister, Popff and Popfenberger. Additionally the variants Pfaffenstein, Paffendorf, Paffert and Pafflan are related to the surname.

Spelled slightly differently, the surnames including Pauf, Paaff, Pfauf, Pfaaff, Pfaffs, Phaffs, Pfaaffs, Pfaffenstein, Paffendorf, Poff, Poffenberger, Poppff and Poppfenberger are all related to Paff.

Surnames of the same origin include Pauf, Paf, Paffen, Paulsen, Pavf, Pemph, Pheiffer, Pff, Pfaffen, Pfauf, Pfeif, Pfeiffer, Pfister, Pfoff, Popff, Pope, Popfenberger, Popper, Puff, Puf, Puffenberger and Pinfert.

Variants in other languages include Paf, Paffe, Papfeld, Papfelder, Papfleder, Palff, Pallf, Pallff, Palffenstein, Palffendorf, Palffenstein, Palffenberger, Peref, Pereff, Pereffe, Piff, Pif, Poffen, Popff and Popfenstedder.

Famous people with the name Paff

• Alexander Paff, a Greek-born American businessman.
• Leonard Paff, a German-born professor who helped found the University of Massachusetts.
• Max Paff, an Olympic rower from Austria.
• Robert Paff, a Danish-born American actor and voice actor.
• Sandra Paff, a German-American film producer and director.
• David Paff, an American scientist and professor of aerospace engineering.
• Axel Paff, a German-born American computer scientist and professor.
• Paul Paff, an American writer and journalist.
• Donald Paff, an American archaeologist and scholar of the Maya civilization.
• Michael Paff, an Austrian-born American conductor, composer and orchestrator.

Other surnames

PafelPaffePäffgenPaffkePaffordPaffredPäfgenPaflitschekPafordPafred