In the defence recruitment of 1581 a Köter (small farmer) HOBBEN Siveke is mentioned for the first time. He is the top ancestor of the families „HOBBENSIEFKEN from Westerloy“ and was born around 1550. He was very probably a later born son of the 1530 in Ocholt mentioned Hausmann (heredity farmer) Reyner Hobben *around 1500 from the since 1428 known Hausmann family „HOBBEN from Ocholt„, and thus a younger brother of the 1581 in the defence recruitment named Ocholter farm heir Johann HOBBEN *around 1535, and thus also an older brother of the Köter Gerdt HOBBEN *around 1550, the top ancestor of the families „Hobben aus Apen„.
With the families „HOBBENSIEFKEN from Westerloy“ the spelling of the surname remained mostly unchanged. In these families first the first names Johann, Frerich / Frerk dominated, later also (as in Ocholt) Johann Friedrich, as well as Diedrich.
The descendants of the families „HOBBENSIEFKEN from Westerloy“ spread as follows: from 1700 to Lindern and Mansie, 1770 Seggern, 1790 Hollwege, 1820 Moorburg, 1840 Westerstederfeld, 1850 Torsholt, 1870 Hollwegerfeld (all in the municipality of Westerstede), 1885 Bad Zwischenahn, USA, 1905 Halstrup, Varel, Wilhelmshaven, 1910 Ocholt, 1915 Linswegerfeld,
1935 Eggeloge and municipality Jade. Today one finds descendants also in numerous other places in Germany, as well as in the Republic of South Africa and in the USA, there particularly in Nebraska, Oregon and California.
There is no direct relationship to the families „HOBBIESIEFKEN from Linswege“, who initially settled there and in the neighbouring Petersfeld. In the Westersteder church books from about 1750, however, the spelling „Hobbensiefken“ (and also „Hobjesiefken“) was occasionally used for these as well, however, and from 1871 this spelling also solidified in some branches of the family.
And finally, the children of the Ocholt descendant Sievke HOBBEN (1678-1763) were baptized in Gießelhorst with the name „HOBBY-SIEFKEN“ or „HOBBENSIEFKEN“, which remained there until about 1880.
For further details and the descendants see at the families „HOBBENSIEFKEN from Westerloy„.