BOSHOFF
Boshoff
Boshoff is a British surname of Dutch origin, derived from the personal name Bosch, meaning "wood" or "forest", combined with the common Dutch suffix hof, meaning "courtyard" or "garden". The name is commonly found among Afrikaner families in South Africa, where many bearers of the surname are descendants of Dutch settlers who arrived in the 17th century.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the Cape Colony in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Boshoff family played a prominent role in the history of South Africa, with notable figures such as Andries Pretorius Boshoff, a renowned Boer leader during the Great Trek of the 1830s.
Over the years, the Boshoff surname has spread beyond South Africa, with descendants of the original settlers emigrating to various parts of the world, including the United Kingdom. Today, individuals bearing the surname can be found in different countries, each contributing to the rich tapestry of British and global history.
The name Boshoff continues to hold significant cultural and historical importance, serving as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Dutch settlers in South Africa and their impact on British genealogy and heritage.
There are approximately 233 people named Boshoff in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around four in a million people in Britain are named Boshoff.
Typical given names associated with the surname
Male
- Andre
- Andrew
- Christopher
- Jaco
- Jacobus
- Jn
- Johan
- Johannes
- Nicolaas
- Philip
- Quintin
- Simon
- Willem
Female
- Alison
- Anna
- Eleanor
- Genevieve
- Leona
- Patricia
- Penelope
- Rochelle
- Samantha
- Tessa
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.