Surname Melhorn - Meaning and Origin
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Melhorn: What does the surname Melhorn mean?
The last name Melhorn is of German origin, derived from the Old High German words 'mele' meaning 'mill' and 'horn' meaning 'corner'. It is believed to have been used to denote someone living near or associated with a mill, likely in a managerial, commercial or other position.
Melhorn is also related to the German word Muhr, meaning 'murmuring', and to the English word 'miller'. This means that the name originally described someone who runs a mill, the vibration of its wheel being likened to the humming of a bird.
Historically, those with the Melhorn surname settled mostly in Prussia, Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse, though other countries like Canada, Australia, and the United States are now home to many Melhorns.
The name Melhorn may be found in fashion, literature, art, and film: Mary Muhr, the mother of the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, was a Melhorn. In recent years, it has become increasingly common in the United States and Canada, with the number of persons bearing this surname numbering in the thousands.
Order DNA origin analysisMelhorn: Where does the name Melhorn come from?
The last name “Melhorn” is most commonly found in the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In the United States specifically, Melhorn can be found in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio.
The Melhorn surname is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was used as an occupational name to identify a person who made horns. It may have come from the Germanic word “mehl” or “mel” and “horn,” meaning horn or a “worker with horns.”
Currently, most of the people who share the Melhorn last name in the United States are descended from German immigrants who settled in the states during the 1700s and 1800s. Earlier settlers likely arrived in the early 1600s when the first Dutch and British-controlled settlements were established along the modern-day Delaware Valley.
According to the US Census Bureau, 464 people across the United States share the surname Melhorn. Most reside in the states of Pennsylvania (173), New York (89), and Maryland (84). The largest concentrations of individuals with this last name are in both Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and Miller County, Arkansas.
The Melhorn surname may be rare today, but nonetheless its origin and deep history continues to connect individuals to the family tree that began hundreds of years ago.
Variations of the surname Melhorn
The surname Melhorn is believed to be of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German words “mölhorn” and “malhorn” which mean “badger.” As such, variants of the surname include Melchern, Melcherhorn, Meilchern, Malchern, Millhorn, Millhorne, and Mellhorn.
Variations in spelling may also include Melloren, Melhorne, Melern, Melearn, Melowen, Mellowen, and Mallowen. Some other spellings may include Makhorn, Melhornn, Maelhorn, Millhornn, Miellhorn, and Miellhorne.
Common surnames associated with the Melhorn family include Milhorn, Melcher, Melhorn, Millhone, Melton, and Millhon.
The surname is found throughout Germany today, particularly in the states of Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Lower Saxony. It is also common in the Netherlands, where it is spelled Melhorst, and the United States, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and England.
In Germany, the Melhorn surname is mainly associated with the lowlands, where the main Bentheim dialects are spoken. In addition, some members of the Melhorn family may also originate from the area around Teutschenthal in the southwestern region of the state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The Melhorn surname is easily recognized through its many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Regardless of how one spells the surname, those that carry it are part of a large and diverse family that has been around for centuries.
Famous people with the name Melhorn
- Luke Melhorn: American actor
- Tom Melhorn: former principal horn for the Philadelphia Orchestra and faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
- Amy Melhorn: former program director for KUAC-FM in Fairbanks, Alaska
- Curt Melhorn: Musician, artist and composer based in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Nick Melhorn: professional esports player and former Call of Duty world champion
- Steve Melhorn: former professional hockey player and coach
- Lee Melhorn: Canadian cross country skier
- Michael Melhorn: Professional outdoor photographer, filmmaker and guidebook author
- Gary Melhorn: Head film instructor at the Illinois Film School
- Matt Melhorn: professional snowboarder and longtime X Games competitor.