Surname Hirte - Meaning and Origin
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Hirte: What does the surname Hirte mean?
The last name Hirte is a German surname derived from the Middle High German term “hirte”, meaning “shepherd”. For centuries, people with the surname Hirte have been connected to sheep and their care, whether as shepherds, shearers, or associated with wool production. In many cases, these Hirte families passed their occupational surnames on to later generations.
The Hirte surname may also be associated with geographical regions in Germany or Switzerland. Many surnames are derived from the area where the family lived. The Hirte surname can refer to someone who lived in or near a place called Hirte. For example, the Swiss canton of Uri has a tiny village called Hüscherhirte, meaning "Little Shepherd Place."
The occupation of a shepherd comes with a great deal of symbolism. To many, it is an image of a hardworking, reliable person who works diligently and takes care of his flock. The same values can be assumed to have been held by those with the Hirte surname.
To this day, the Hirte surname is found amongst shepherds and others related to sheep and wool production, but also amongst people in a variety of occupations. While the origin of the name may have meant shepherd, Hirte family members can be found globally in all walks of life, testifying to the fact that over time, the 200-year-old Hirte family name has proven resilient.
Order DNA origin analysisHirte: Where does the name Hirte come from?
The last name Hirte is primarily associated with Germany, and continues to be most common in German-speaking countries. It is also found in Austria and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland.
In Germany, Hirte is among the 1,000 most common last names. As of 2019, it ranked 501st in terms of frequency, with over 13,000 people registered by the national telephone directory. In Austria, the name is also quite common, ranking 80th among the 8.3 million people living there. The surname’s frequency is comparable in Swiss Cantons such as Aargau and Swiss-German-speaking Zürich, where it is among the top 400 last names.
Outside of German-speaking countries, Hirte is less common. It is also found in the Netherlands and, therabouts, among the Dutch-speaking population of Belgium. Further afield, the surname remains uncommon, although there are scattered occurrences in the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, among other countries.
Variations of the surname Hirte
Hirte is an occupational surname of Germanic origin, derived from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch meanings of herdsman or swineherd. It belongs to the large class of Germanic names referring to occupations and derived from the vocabulary word hirt, meaning "shepherd".
Variants of the spelling of Hirte include Heyt, Heyde, Haide, Haite, Heidt, Heite, Hirt, Hirtz, Hürt, Huerte, Hurtz, Hurt, Hurte, Hurty, Hoert, Hürte, and Hört.
Surnames derived from Hirte include Hurt, Hurtz, Hurte, Haide, and Heyt. These surnames are variations of the original German spelling of Hirte. They are derived either from the Middle Low German "hirde" or the Middle Dutch "hirthe". Other variations of Hirte include Hurtel, Heytel, Haittel, Heitel, and Heitl.
Hirt, an alternative spelling of Hirte, is a particularly common variant in German-speaking countries. It is often found in records in both Germany and Austria. The surname Hirt is found most frequently in central Germany and western Austria. Other spellings of Hirt include Hirten, Hirter, Hürsten, and Hürster.
The name Hirte is also found in English-speaking countries including the United States, where immigrants from Germany and Austria settled. The surnames Hurtz, Hurt, and Hurte are also commonly found in the American population.
Famous people with the name Hirte
- Sophie Hirstein-Schmidt (Soccer Player)
- Michael Hirte (Musician)
- Florian Hirt (Footballer)
- Aaron Hirte (Rugby Player)
- Rainer Hirt (Actor)
- Markus Hirte (Writter)
- Karl-Heinz Hirte (Politician)
- Oliver Hirte (Skateboarder)
- Barbara Hirte (Actress)
- Karlheinz Hirte (Mathematician)
- Karsten Hirt (Dancer)
- Jean-Christophe Hirte (Photographer)
- Jörg-Uwe Hirte (Musician)
- Anne-Catherine Hirte (Chef)
- Michael C. Hirte (Professor)
- Fabian Hirte (Athlete)
- Florian Hirt (Baseball Player)