Surname Hoerner - Meaning and Origin
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Hoerner: What does the surname Hoerner mean?
The last name “Hoerner” is derived from the Middle High German word “hurner” which means “farmer” or “husbandman” and is a reference to individuals who worked in some capacity in an agricultural profession. The earliest records of a person with the surname come from around the 13th century in the Saxony Province of Germany.
The surname became popular as many people moved into larger cities and would adopt the name of their former profession. For example, a miller who could no longer work in the mills around the cities would use the name “Hoerner” to signal his former profession and where he was from.
Hoerner is both a common surname in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, as well as other parts of Europe, and a relatively rare one in the United States. It is reported that in 2000, around 13,000 people in the United States had the surname. Those with the surname primarily reside in the Midwest and trace their heritage to Germany.
The name may have changed slightly in spelling throughout the years, appearing as “Hornar” or “Hurner” in various records but the meaning has remained the same. It is often associated with hardworking individuals with a steady dedication to a job that they enjoyed and with a sense of stability regardless of their location.
Order DNA origin analysisHoerner: Where does the name Hoerner come from?
The last name Hoerner is relatively common throughout much of Europe, especially in Germany, Hungary, and Switzerland. Hoerner is a surname that descends from a patronymic form of the name Hermann, which is a Germanic given name derived from the Old High German elements of "heri, hari," meaning "army," and "man," meaning "man." In Germany, the name is still found in relatively large numbers, and it is estimated to be the 5,153rd most common name, with around 13,028 people carrying the surname. In Switzerland, the last name is more rare, but still present, with around 434 individuals using it according to the same 2017 census. Also in Hungary, relatively large numbers of individuals bear the last name Hoerner, estimated by the same survey to be the 4,446th most common name there, with an estimated 1,817 people using it.
Variations of the surname Hoerner
The surname Hoerner is a Germanic surname most commonly seen spelled as Hörner, but it can also be seen as Horner, Hoerner, Hörnner, Hernner, Herrner, and Hörrner.
The most likely source of the surname is from a nickname derived from the Middle High German word 'horn,' meaning a horn. This could be a reference to a horn-blower or could symbolize someone with exceptional strength or courage.
Hoerner itself likely originated in Bavaria or the surrounding regions and is primarily found in Germany, as well as in areas which were once under German control. The spelling found in the United States is most commonly Horner and is most likely the result of larger numbers of people with the surname migrating to America during the 19th century.
The surname is most common in the German-speaking countries of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Today, variations of the surname can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, as well as in the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
The surname is quite popular in Germany, and according to Germany's 2014 census, it ranks as the 286th most common surname in the country. It is also quite popular in Switzerland, where it ranks as the 206th most popular surname, and in Austria, where it is the 79th most common surname.
Famous people with the name Hoerner
- Bernard Hoerner: German born aircraft designer and family founder of the Hoerner Group.
- Christian Hoerner: Austrian chess player known for being the eighth Austrian Grandmaster in history.
- Klaus Hoerner: German businessman and entrepreneur known for founding the Hoerner Group.
- Eugen Hoerner: German Soviet politician, economist, and administrator of the East Germany Ministry of Interior.
- Jan Hoerner: German theologian and academic known for his studies in the field of liturgy and church music.
- Johannes Hoerner: German composer and musicologist from the 17th century known for many sacred music compositions.
- Klaus-Dieter Hoerner: German composer and electronic musician known for his work for the label Sky Records.
- Ludwig Theodor Hoerner: German bishop of Leitmeritz who is known for his work in liturgical music.
- Michael Hoerner: contemporary German jazz composer and saxophonist.
- Markus Hoerner: German composer and multi-instrumentalist known for his work on the movie adaptations of "The Dark Knight" and "Attack the Block".
- Reinhard Hoerner: German SS officer in the Nazi Army and one of the main perpetrators of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
- Wolfgang Hoerner: German alpine skier who won three medals in the Winter Olympics.