Surname Hörbert - Meaning and Origin
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Hörbert: What does the surname Hörbert mean?
The last name Hörbert is one of many Germanic-origin surnames and as a result has roots in the Middle Ages. The most widely accepted origin of the name is from the Old High German word “heri”, meaning army or host, and “berht”, meaning bright or famous. This translates literally into ‘army-bright’, implying a descendant of a well-known warrior. The name may also have arisen as a form of Old High German verb “hórebairti”, meaning ‘a person who holds a harp’.
Alternatively, the establishment of surname conventions in Europe during the Middle Ages often combined elements of given name and geographic or regional origin. If this is the case, then the last name Hörbert could mean a person of the region of Hörberg, now a small town in Bavaria, and may descend from northwestern Germanic tribes of the 7th century.
In modern times the name is usually associated with bravery, heroism, and loyalty, especially in regard to the modern military forces of Germany, although it is surprisingly used by other cultural groups as well. As of now, the last name is quite common in parts of Europe, with an estimated 50,000 people in Germany and the Netherlands sporting the name in some form or another.
Order DNA origin analysisHörbert: Where does the name Hörbert come from?
The last name Hörbert is most commonly found in German-speaking regions of Europe. This includes areas such as Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, where it is an especially common variant of the Hubert surname. Hörbert is also found in juxtaposition with other German-speaking countries, such as Poland and parts of the Czech Republic.
The name Hörbert is thought to have derived from a combination of two medieval names, Hubert and Harbert. Hubert was a French name, first borne by an eighth-century saint, and Latinized as "Hugibert". This was sometimes combined with the Germanic Harbert, which originates with the elements hari and berht, meaning "army" and "bright".
The Hubert family crest dates back to the 15th century in France and Germany. It is a blue shield with an eagle displayed, and a gold cross placed in the center. By the 19th century, many families bearing the Hubert name had spread into neighboring countries in Central Europe, including Poland and the Czech Republic, thus becoming the more common variant Hörbert.
Today, many Hörberts around the world are descended from families who left Europe, particularly those who immigrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia during the 19th and 20th centuries. The name can also be found in other countries where German immigrants settled, such as Russia and Brazil.
Variations of the surname Hörbert
The surname Hörbert is a German surname, most commonly found in the regions of the former Prussian provinces of East Prussia (today's Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia) and West Prussia (now part of Poland). Variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin exist for this surname, and some of them include Horbert, Hoerbert, Horber, Hoerber, Höber, Hober, Hobber, Hoeber, Hoyber, and Hubbert.
Horbert is the most common variant of the Hörbert surname, and has been used since the early 17th century in East and West Prussia. It is believed to be a variation of the German name Hörburt, meaning “a brave person”, from the Middle High German verb hören (which means “to hear”) and beren (“to carry” or “to wear”). The spelling of the name changed gradually over the years according to regional dialects and language influences.
Other variants, such as Hoerbert, Höber, and Hubbert, are members of the larger Hörbert family. Hoerbert is simply a variant of the original spelling of Hörbert, involving a substitution of “o” for “ö” (“ö” being the common German letter for the ‘e’ sound). Höber is another variant of the same origin, though it is mainly found in the areas of West Prussia and Hamburg, Germany. Meanwhile, Hubbert is believed to be an Anglicized version of the Hörbert surname.
The Hörbert family is an old, respected family with deep roots and rich history in East and West Prussia. In recent years, the usage of the surname Hörbert has spread to other parts of Europe and North America, and the variants of the surname have followed suit.
Famous people with the name Hörbert
- Hubert Hörbert: actor from Berlin;
- Johann Hörbert: 19th century German philosopher;
- Paula Hörbert: German football goalkeeper;
- Margarete Hörbert: renowned German soprano;
- Thomas Hörbert: German judoka;
- Anna Hörbert: German stage and opera singer;
- Elisabeth Hörbert: known Austrian actress;
- Mischa Hörbert: German actor;
- Johannes Hörbert: award-winning German composer;
- Jutta Hörbert: German silent film actress.