The Von Hofe name originated — according to the HOUSE OF NAMES, came from Westphalia, Germany, though Hof is a town near the Czech border. Hof comes from the German word for place, or settlement. The prefix “von” indicates land ownership.
Our knowledge of the family beigns with Peter Von Hofe b. 1743 Elferdingen and Elisabeth Gruenhagen. Elferdingen is in the area of Walsrode. It’s next to Fallingbostal.
Fallingbostel is the capitol of the “District of Heath” in Lower Saxony. It’s very close to the town of Walsrode, and about 60 km north of the city of Hanover. Originally, the area was an agricultural settlement. It has a recorded history of over 1,000 years! According to Wikipedia, this area historically, belonged to the Duchy of Brunswick-Lueneberger (and its successor states). Since 2002, it has been known as Bad Fallingbostel, because it has a Kneipp spa. Dr. Sebastien Kneipp, a naturapath physician developed hydrotherapy healing during the latter-half of the nineteenth century.
We believe the church to be the Evangelical Lutheran St. Dionysius in Fallingbostel.
Thanks to Peter Wolf in the Black Forest for helping us determine the birth place for our 2nd great-grandfather! His 4X great aunt, Wilhemina Bertha Wolf, married Heinrich Thomas Von Hofe in Leipzig.
