Surname Confer - Meaning and Origin

Confer: What does the surname Confer mean?

The surname Confer is of English origin, and it comes from an occupational name for someone who prepares fibers for spinning by combing them, a process known as "combing," which evolved into "confer." It is also possible that the surname Confer was derived from the Old English phrase "cumbere," which means "comb-bearer."

Furthermore, it might be a variant of the German businessman Künfer, an occupational name for a spice merchant derived from the Middle High German word "künfære,” which means "spices." Additionally, it could be a variant of the German surname Könfer, from a reduced form of Konrad, with the addition of the suffix "-er," denoting someone who does or works with something.

Given the geographical distributions of the surname, it most likely has multiple origins. As with many surnames, the exact origins can be difficult to trace due to historical language change, migration, and cultural blending.

Confer: Where does the name Confer come from?

The surname Confer is of German origin. It is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "künefer," a composite of "kühn," meaning bold or daring, and "fahrt," meaning journey or expedition. Thus, it is assumed that the name might have initially been conferred upon a bold voyager or a daring individual. This surname belongs to the category of 'nickname' surnames, which were derived from eke-names, or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute.

In terms of its prevalence today, Confer is not particularly common. However, it still holds a presence primarily in the United States, notably in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Various families bearing the Confer surname migrated to the U.S during the late 18th and 19th centuries. As of now, there are few people with this last name in other parts of the world. This may be attributed to factors such as migration patterns, cultural assimilation, and the natural evolution of languages.

Variations of the surname Confer

The surname Confer originates from Germany and its spelling variations could be a result of phonetic spelling by immigration officials, translation errors, or changes made by the family to blend into new environments. The original form of the name in German may be "Könfer" or "Konfer".

Common spelling variations and surnames of a similar origin include: Conffer, Könfer, Konfer, Conver, Conner, Gonfer, Coffer, Conifer, and Confair. Also, there are regional variations reflecting the dialects in different parts of Germany like Könfer from Bavaria and Konfer from the Rhineland region.

It's also worth noting that over time, some families might have moved to places like Netherlands or Denmark and the surname might have transformed to Konferen or Könferen and in France, it might have become Conferet or Conferon.

Additionally, due to intermarriages and cultural amalgamations, hybrid spellings like McConfer or O'Confer might have also evolved in places like Scotland or Ireland. Conversely, in North America where abbreviation and simplification of surnames were common, it might have been shortened to Con or Confe.

However, these are all speculative and could vary based on individual family histories and migrations.

Famous people with the name Confer

• D. Brenton Confer, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
• James Confer, Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Lycoming County.
• Brad Confer, a former professional American football player in the National Football League.
• Tom Confer, a former Major League Baseball infielder.
• Vance Confer, a Major League Baseball pitcher in 1989.
• Robert Confer, an American botanist and agrostologist.
• John Confer, a noted American Presbyterian minister and author of numerous devotional books.
• Deborah Confer, an author, poet, and human rights activist.
• Kristina Confer, a freelance writer with work featured in multiple national and international publications.
• Charles Confer, a retired American professional baseball player.
• Lance Confer, the founder and CEO of L. Confer Consulting LLC.
• Ross Confer, a strategy and product development consultant.
• Jacob Confer, a college football player and former linebacker for the University of Maryland Terrapins.
• Max Confer, an American turf grass specialist, golf course superintendent, and university professor.
• Denzil Confer, a professional American football guard.

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