Surname Hawighorst - Meaning and Origin
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Hawighorst: What does the surname Hawighorst mean?
The surname Hawighorst is a German and Dutch toponymic surname that refers to someone who is from a haw or hedged enclosure. It is derived from the Middle High German words "hawe" and "gorst," which when combined mean "hedged grove" or "enclosure." This name is believed to have originated from various places in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark by the name of "Howerst" or "Howerster," which evolved to become Hawighorst over time.
The Hawighorst name is strongly associated with Germany, and many records of this name date back to Germany in the late 1700s. At that time, records show various members of the family living across Germany, although it’s unclear if all were related.
The most commonly found coats of arms associated with Hawighorst are blue or grey with three silver stars, indicating a noble origin. It’s unclear, however, if all families bearing the name are of noble heritage or not.
The Hawighorst name does not appear in any American records, and is likely a name that is an exclusive to Europe. Little else is known about the history of this surname.
Order DNA origin analysisHawighorst: Where does the name Hawighorst come from?
The last name Hawighorst is an uncommon last name, primarily found in Germany today. It is a relatively modern variant of a German surname that originated in the Rhineland region of Germany, specifically in the provinces of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. The original spelling of the name likely evolved from Hageworst, with the "hag" part denoting a hawthorn bush or hedge, and the "worst" part meaning a barley or oat field.
Hawighorst is quite rare today; Census records indicate that the last name occurs once in every 8,000-10,000 people. It is especially concentrated in historically German-speaking areas; records suggest that individuals with the name reside primarily in Germany, with a few scattered records in other countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.
The variant spelling of Hawighorst is quite interesting; a combination of two elements of origin. Hawimut is derived from a combination of the words "Horn" and "Mut", or courage in English. The second element, "Ghorst", derives from the German word "Gest", meaning a guest or visitor. Combining the two, the last name can be roughly translated to "Demon of Courage".
The last name Hawighorst may not be extremely common today, but it certainly has an interesting and unique story behind it.
Variations of the surname Hawighorst
Hawighorst is a German surname that can be found in both Germany and the Netherlands, as well as some other countries where German settlers have immigrated. The most common variant of this name is Hohorst. This spelling is especially popular in North America, where many German immigrants Anglicized their names upon arriving. Other variants of this spelling are Hawighorst, Hawighorsth, Hawighorstt, Hawighorsten and Hawighorsten.
In Germany, a more common spelling of the name is Haag. This spelling is found less often in the Netherlands, where the spelling Hoeghorst is more common. In both countries, the derivatives of the surname include Hoeghorst-Bakker, Hoeghorsten, Hohorst and Hogehorst, among others.
In North America, some other German-origin names based on Hawighorst include Heyghorst, Higghorst, Hogarest, Hogherst and Hofhorst. Mobilizing out of their German homeland, many with this surname migrated to North America, with records of those named Hohorst appearing in Philadelphia in the late 17th Century and Hawkhorst being found in New York in the 18th Century.
In current times, many with the surname Hawighorst live in Midwestern United States, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois. Those bearing the name have seen considerable success in the American Midwest, with many family members achieving great success in business, media, and sports.
Famous people with the name Hawighorst
- Jeff Hawighorst: former professional NFL quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams.
- Levena Hawighorst: Australian television personality and author.
- Conrad Hawighorst: American film and television actor.
- Marla Hawighorst: professional skier who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
- Donnie Hawighorst: American record producer and musician.
- Charles Hawighorst: Emmy-nominated songwriter.
- Adrienne Hawighorst: former professional basketball player.
- Bob Hawighorst: world-renowned woodworker.
- Lucas Hawighorst: Grammy-nominated jazz musician.
- Susan Hawighorst: American novelist.