Surname Kätner - Meaning and Origin
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Kätner: What does the surname Kätner mean?
The surname Kätner is a German occupational name derived from the Middle High German word “katenar”, which originally meant “cater” or “keeper of a jail”. By the 19th century, the name had come to mean “caretaker” and often described someone who managed a dwelling, such as an innkeeper. It is likely that, in some cases, the name also described a person responsible for managing a business, property or estate.
It is unclear when the name was first used, but it likely originated sometime around the 12th or 13th centuries. By the 1500s, more people began using the name, particularly in the regions of northeastern Germany and Eastern Prussia. Records from that time indicate the name Kätner was used among the nobility and upper classes to denote landowners, innkeepers and mayors.
Today, Kätner is a common surname in Germany and is spread throughout the country. Additionally, many people of German ancestry living outside Germany have the surname. As a result, the name Kätner can be found in other parts of Europe, the United States and even Canada.
Order DNA origin analysisKätner: Where does the name Kätner come from?
The last name Kätner (also commonly spelled Kaetner or Kaytner) is most common in Central and Eastern Europe today. It is particularly prevalent in areas such as Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, as well as neighbouring countries such as Germany, Austria and Belarus.
This is likely due to the fact that the surname is of Germanic origin and was originally used in the 16th century during the Holy Roman Empire as a patronymic surname.
In the last few centuries, the surname Kätner has spread further afield as a result of migration. Kätner has been found in the United States, mainly in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Migration in the past century has also enabled more people to adopt the surname, meaning that it can now be found in other parts of the world such as Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, the Middle East and Africa.
The surname Kätner can have many different spellings, including Kaatner, Katner, Kätner, Keetner, Ketner and Kietner. Despite the many spellings, it is the same surname.
Variations of the surname Kätner
The surname Kätner is an occupational surname meaning "tavern keeper" or "innkeeper" in German. It's sometimes spelled as Kätner, Kaetner, Käter, Kaeter, Kaetner, Kaetter, Ketner, Kaetnerer, Kätnerer, Käte, Kete, Kaete, Käthner, Kaethner, Kähn, Kahns, Kaahn, Kahns, Kahne, Kohn, Koehn, Kahne, Cahn, Cone, and Kahnert.
The variant Kater, which is derived from the Middle High German word “katzer”, can also be found in some cases. This is another occupational name, meaning “noise maker” or “clamorous one”, and was used to refer to someone who served in a court of justice or a public market place.
The as-of-yet unexplained variants Kähler and Köhler, both occupational surnames indicating a charcoal burner, also exist. Another variant Kates is an Anglicized version of the surname.
Kätners can also be found with the suffix -mann or -heimer, such as Kätnermann or Kätnerheimer. There have also been instances of the name being changed to Kehm or Kihm due to the similarity of the name Kätner to these two.
Additionally, the surname Körner, meaning “grain merchant”, has been linked to the Kätner surname, as in some instances the family had also held the Körner profession in the past.
In conclusion, the surname Kätner has many variants, spellings and related surnames. These include variations of the surname indicating an occupational meaning, anglicized versions, and other similar-sounding surnames.
Famous people with the name Kätner
- Christian Kätner: German professional football player.
- Elisabeth Kätner: Physicist and one of the founders of the field of nano electronics.
- Richard Kätner: Swiss-German filmmaker and painter.
- Johannes Kätner: German composer and conductor.
- Joachim Kätner: German opera singer.
- Klaus Kätner: German actor.
- Annegret Kätner: German artist, sculptor and author.
- Gert Kätner: German-American professor of mathematics.
- Christoph Kätner: German veterinarian and politician.
- Michael Kätner: Austrian footballer.
- Walburga Kätner: East German athlete.
- Franz Kätner: German zoologist and evolutionary biologist.
- Bernd Kätner: German painter and graphic designer.
- Julia Kätner: German-Australian artist.
- Karin Kätner: German actress.
- Dieter Kätner: German composer and musicologist.
- Simone Kätner: German writer.
- Katrin Kätner: German actress.
- Rolf Kätner: German physicist and nuclear engineer.
- Helmut Kätner: German stage actor.