Surname Dettenkofer - Meaning and Origin
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Dettenkofer: What does the surname Dettenkofer mean?
The last name Dettenkofer is an occupational surname, which means that bearers of this name originally took on the name because they were involved in a particular occupation.
The root word for Dettenkofer comes from the German 'dett', which was used to refer to a district in a town, such as a guild, which regulated a certain type of trade. So 'Dettenkofer' literally means 'district maker' or 'a maker of districts' in a town, or someone who was able to divide up an area into districts and organize it in a particular way.
This occupation was probably once very important in Germany as the country is made up of a number of districts, each with its own type of trade, culture, and laws. Whoever held the position of district maker was probably highly respected within the community and would have been the one responsible for making sure that everything ran smoothly within their particular area.
The Dettenkofer name has been around since the Middle Ages and is still in use today. It is mainly found in the state of Bavaria and the surrounding regions, and some of the earliest recorded versions of the surname date back to the 1500s.
Today, many people will recognize the Dettenkofer surname as a reference to the district maker occupation, and its unique history makes it one of the more interesting surnames of German origin.
Order DNA origin analysisDettenkofer: Where does the name Dettenkofer come from?
The last name Dettenkofer is an occupational surname of German origin, originating from a root word meaning “detain maker”. It is primarily found in Germany and Austria today, and there are roughly 4,200 people who bear it in those countries.
In Germany, most of the Dettenkofer population is concentrated in Bavaria, which is in the southeastern part of the country. There are small numbers of Dettenkofers living in other German regions, such as Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.
In Austria, Dettenkofer is most commonly found in the Central Austrian cities of Vienna and Sankt Pölten. Vienna is the largest city in the country and has the most Dettenkofers. Vienna is the second most populated city in all of Austria and holds the second-largest concentration of Dettenkofers.
There are also many Dettenkofers in the United States, primarily located in Wisconsin, California, and Oregon, with small numbers found in states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Dettenkofer last name is an old one and is not often found outside of Germany and Austria. However, as people tend to move around more in this day and age, it is possible to find Dettenkofers in many different countries around the world. The last name is still quite rare, and for those looking to trace their ancestry, it could prove to be a very rewarding journey.
Variations of the surname Dettenkofer
The surname Dettenkofer is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German word “dettelingkofer”, which means “one who carves wooden trunks or boxes.” It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, and over time, it has evolved in many different forms and spellings.
The most common variant of the surname Dettenkofer is Dettmer. It is believed that the surname Dettmer emerged as a result of the gradual transition from pronunciation to spelling. Other variants include Dettinger, Detlinger, Detenback, Detenheffer, and Detenbacher.
Detenback is an archaic form of the surname Dettenkofer, which was commonly used in Bavaria. Similarly, Detenheffer is an old variant of the surname Dettenkofer, which was used in the Bavarian and Franconian regions.
In addition, the surname Dettenkofer is believed to have evolved into various other surnames, including Dettke, Deitinger, Teitinger, and Tettinger. Dettke is a Germanized version of the surname, which was used in regions such as Poland and Lithuania. Similarly, Teitinger is a variant of the surname Dettenkofer, which was common in the Tyrol region.
The surname Dettenkofer can also be found in various other parts of the world, as many of its early bearers immigrated to different countries. In the United States, common spellings of the surname include Detenkofer, Dettinger, and Detenheffer. In the United Kingdom, the most common spelling is Dettinger.
Overall, the surname Dettenkofer has evolved over time, resulting in various different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Dettenkofer
- Franz Dettenkofer (1762–1837): Austrian painter
- Matthias Dettenkofer (1768–1821): Austrian painter
- Maria Magdalena Dettenkofer (1780–1854): Bavarian painter
- Peter Dettenkofer (1793–1883): Bavarian writer
- Joseph Dettenkofer (1808–1879): Bavarian sculptor
- Franz Dettenkofer (1871–1947): Austrian historian
- Oskar Dettenkofer (1874–1963): Austrian explorer, mountaineer and engineer
- Wilhelm Dettenkofer (1875–1938): Austrian painter
- Eugen Dettenkofer (1876–1954): German ophthalmologist
- Hans August Dettenkofer (1877–1944): German horticulturist
- Ernst Dettenkofer (1881–1944): German botanist
- Karl Dettenkofer (1885–1970): German historian and geographer
- Marianne Dettenkofer (1892–1982): German politician, feminist and humanist
- Max Karl Dettenkofer (1896–1954): German architect
- Otto Dettenkofer (1907–1985): German doctor
- Karl Dettenkofer (1909–2003): German botanist
- Ulrich Dettenkofer (1915–2008): German lawyer
- Karl Dettenkofer (1919–2013): German physician
- Alfons Dettenkofer (1919–2003): German Jesuit priest and theologian
- Holger Dettenkofer (b. 1950): German physician and research physician