Hof

The basic sense of Hof is the yard surrounded by buildings, and by extension the whole farm or estate. In a record, auf dem Hof or a Hof with a number usually places a family on a particular farm, which you can then trace through land and tax records.

Other senses are a royal or noble court (Hofprediger, court preacher) and the city of Hof in Upper Franconia. Compounds such as Hofmann can be an occupational title meaning farmer as well as a surname.