[5] The parish of Hof was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law).

The name is identical with the word hof which means "pagan temple", a place for worshiping the old Norse Gods.

The official blazon is "Gules, three water lily leaves Or" (Norwegian: I rødt tre gull sjøblad, 2-1).

This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a seeblatt which is a water lily leaf design.

The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used.

At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Nord-Jarlsberg prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

Hof Municipality was a typical community based on agriculture and forestry.

About 75 landowners in Hof united in a land owner union (Hof Utmarkslag), and hunters were required to purchase permits from them (mainly small game hunting) in order to use their land.