Surname Höckner - Meaning and Origin
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Höckner: What does the surname Höckner mean?
Höckner is a German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German “Höckner”, meaning “who sells dagger” or “knifesmith”. The name is most common in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, but can be found in numerous other countries. In the United States, the first recorded Höckner immigrants date back to the mid-1800’s.
Many of the families that bear the Höckner surname today trace their lineage back to the trade guilds of Germany and have kept the Höckner name for generations due to the successful family business. It is possible that some of the families who adopted the Höckner name belonged to the middle and upper classes, who used to show their social standing by selecting certain surnames.
The surname Höckner also likely has its origins in folk etymology, since in German the words “Hage” for “edge” and “hocken” for “to crouch” both sound similar to “Höckner”. This would explain the profession of knife-making or dagger-selling associated with the surname.
Today, Höckner’s are part of a global community. From Germany and Austria to Chile, Canada, and the United States, families of all backgrounds share a unique and fascinating past. Whether it is being the first of one’s family to settle in another country or deciding to bring the Höckner name to a future generation, the family’s story is an integral part of a person’s identity.
Order DNA origin analysisHöckner: Where does the name Höckner come from?
The last name Höckner is most commonly found in Germany. It is likely derived from the Germanic word "hohh" meaning "tower" or "hill." This suggests the name was likely associated with those who lived atop a hill or tower for protection in the region long ago.
The surname is found in various forms in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and can also be found in smaller numbers in other nearby countries, such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary.
In Germany, the most locational variation of the name is concentrated around the area of Bavaria, which is in the Souteastern portion of the country. Other areas where it is commonly found include NRW, in the North, as well as around the central parts, such as Thüringen, Hessen and Baden-Württemburg.
According to the United States census estimates, the last name Höckner is also found in the United States, mostly among German-Americans. This indicates that the name was likely brought to the United States by immigrants from Germany throughout the centuries. Though the name is less common in the US than it is in Germany, it can still be found concentrated around areas with large German-American populations, such as Texas and Ohio.
Variations of the surname Höckner
The surname Höckner is a German surname that has multiple variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These variations include Hoeckner, Hoeckers, Höckers, Hokner, Hockner, Hockers, Hokner, Hoecker, Hockers, Hockers, Höcker, Höckers, Hokkens and Höckens.
The surname is thought to have originated from the Middle German term "Hokenare", which was a title given to a person who cultivated vegetables and herbs. This term was derived from the German word "Hoken", which refers to a holder of höken (a kind of market stall). Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the German term “Hocken”, which was a variant of the word “häcken”, which means to chop or cut down trees.
The English version of the surname is usually spelled "Hokens". This version is more common throughout the United States and parts of England. It is thought that the spelling may have been changed to Hokens by immigrants when they arrived in North America.
The various spellings of the surname Höckner can be seen in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and many other European countries. This surname is also found in many parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The different spellings of the surname are variations of the same name and indicate that individuals with the same root surname have spread out throughout the world.
Famous people with the name Höckner
- Stephanie Höckner: German politician, member of the Green Party of Germany since 1991, and a member of the Parliament of Berlin since 2001.
- Ferdinando Höckner: Italian golfer. He won multiple tournaments in the European Senior Tour and the EPD Tour.
- Johannes Höckner: Finnish organist, lecturer, composer and teacher. He is the third generation of the Höckner family of musicians.
- Ira von Höckner: Indian-German writer, publishing her first book at the age of 23, "Pakhtun: Manto Ki Zubaan".
- Henrik Höckner: Swedish actor and film director, his most famous film being "Brothers", which he co-directed with his brother Carl.
- F. M. von Höckner: German naturalist and entomologist, mainly interested in butterflies and moths, and whose research was based in the Rhineland.
- Marcus Höckner: German entrepreneur in the web development sector, co-founder and CEO of Intelliweb GmbH.
- Otto Höckner: German inventor and engineer, known for his invention of the Höckner Helix, a heat engine to generate energy from temperature differences between two surfaces.
- Erich Höckner: German physicist and mathematician, known for his work on the field of particle physics.
- Carl Theodor von Höckner: Swedish pastor and writer, as well as the co-author of the films "Brothers" and "Vapensmeden", with his brother Henrik.