Surname Altenhuber - Meaning and Origin
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Altenhuber: What does the surname Altenhuber mean?
The last name Altenhuber is derived from the Old German word "huobari" meaning "head man" or "head of family". It is a patronymic surname usually found in south and west Germany. Altenhuber may have originally been used to identify a family's leader, often the oldest man in the family, or could refer to a person who held the honorary title of Huober or head of family in his own village.
The name could be a combination of "Alte", which means old, and "Huober" or "Hüber", the title of a local headman. Alternatively, the name could be derived from the German town of Hübers, a hamlet near Frankfurt, which was known for it’s timber trade. The Altenhuber name is thought to have been first adopted in the late 15th century.
Today, the Altenhuber name is more than five hundred years old and is still seen throughout many parts of Germany and Austria. Those bearing the Altenhuber name usually come from farming backgrounds, with many still involved in the land and agricultural sector. With such a long and distinguished history, the name is likely to remain popular for many years to come.
Order DNA origin analysisAltenhuber: Where does the name Altenhuber come from?
The Altenhuber surname is most commonly found in Germany today, particularly in Bavaria and other regions of Southern Germany. The surname is believed to have derived from the Middle German word "hubi" meaning "son of".
Some of the earliest records of this surname exist in the Tyrol and Austria regions, where it appears to have had its origin. Later records exist in the regions of Munich and Oberbayern region of Germany as well as in several other parts of Germany.
Today, Altenhuber is a common last name throughout Germany, although the population may be concentrated more in some areas than others. Records show there is a higher frequency of the name in Bavaria and the Austrian state of Tyrol, the two regions in which the first Altenhubers lived. Interestingly, records in Germany show that there is a large number of people with the last name who have descended from French Huguenot immigrants who came to Germany in the early 17th and 18th centuries to escape religious persecution.
The Altenhuber surname can also be found in other parts of the world, such as the United States, where there are many families of German descent living today. It is also found in Canada, Australia, and other smaller countries around the world.
In short, the Altenhuber last name originated in Germany and is still most common there today. Records also suggest that it is found in other countries around the globe as a result of German immigration.
Variations of the surname Altenhuber
The surname Altenhuber is of German origin and can be spelled in many different ways. Common variants include Alt, Alten, and Altenhuba. Most of these variants stem from the addition of an umlaut, or two dots, on an "u" or "a", and offer more specific regional divisions.
Altun, Althun, Althan, Althaner, Althubner, Althenner, and Althener are all variations of the same name. All of these variations began with the prefix, Alten, which is a place-name element most commonly found in language indigenous to Germany and Scandinavia. This prefix is derived from the Old German word Ald, meaning old or ancient. This was added to the original Altenhuber name to note that the family originated from a specific old place or settlement, or for clarification purposes. Variants of Altenhuber can also exist within the same culture, allowing for genetic and geographic mobility of the family name.
Surnames that are commonly found in language entrenched to German and Germanic Scandinavian regions can also have the same root. Common names include Alt, Allten, intervals, Allthen, Altoun, the Althun's, and Olathen. Each of these names has a slightly different spelling, but could refer to the same patronymic family origin of the Altenhuber surname.
In some regions of Europe, such as Bavaria and Austrian Tyrol, the spelling Altenhofer, Altenhofer, and Altenhofer is also common. The double ‘ff’ signifies a common double consonant at the beginning of a word and can be seen as a slight variation of Altenhuber.
Ultimately, the surname Altenhuber is a common name that is present in many languages and dialects across Europe. Its variants offer a glimpse into the intercultural movement of the Germanic and more broadly European population.
Famous people with the name Altenhuber
- Anton Altenhuber: Austrian Alpine skier and former World Cup alpine ski racer
- Christian Altenhuber: Austrian footballer
- Ernst Altenhuber: German actor
- Franz Altenhuber: Austrian composer
- Helmut Altenhuber: Austrian Paralympian athlete
- Hugo Altenhuber: German botanist
- Johann Altenhuber: Austrian pharmacologist
- Joseph Altenhuber: Austrian zoologist
- Moni Altenhuber: Austrian singer and entertainer
- Paul Altenhuber: German composer
- Robert Altenhuber: Austrian actor
- Sebastian Altenhuber: Austrian footballer
- Ulrich Altenhuber: German priest and historian
- Wilfried Altenhuber: Austrian former ski jumper