Family name origins & meanings
- Respelling of French Swiss Convers, literally ‘convert’, a surname which Morlet believes was probably bestowed on Jewish or other converts to Christianity. The form Confer occurs with great frequency in central PA, its spelling reflecting the German (or Dutch) pronunciation; it may have originated in Europe (five Confers are listed in the German telephone directory) or on arrival in the U.S.
- Possibly an Americanized spelling of German Kumpfer (see Compher).