Surname Mittenhuber - Meaning and Origin
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Mittenhuber: What does the surname Mittenhuber mean?
Mittenhuber is a German surname that derives from a combination of two German words, 'mittel' and 'huber'. 'Mittel' means middle and 'huber' means tenant, or someone who holds a tenancy. This surname likely originated as a geographic reference to a place such as a farm or estate that was located in the middle of a town or village where the tenant held tenancy.
The surname is found throughout areas of German-speaking Europe and is still used in Germany today. It is more commonly found in the southern states of Germany, including Bavaria. In the US, it is mainly found among the descendants of those who migrated in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The adoption of a patronymic surname was common in this era, and Mittenhuber is one such example. It has its roots in pre-industrial Germany where people were named after their occupations, geographical locations, or father's name to identify themselves as individuals without having the ability to register their surname through official channels.
Mittenhuber, then, was likely a descriptive term used to identify a place or tenant as being situated in the middle of a village. As a surname, it has long been associated with the Mittenhuber family and their descendants. Today, Mittenhuber is an uncommon but recognizable surname in Europe and the US.
Order DNA origin analysisMittenhuber: Where does the name Mittenhuber come from?
The last name Mittenhuber is most common today in Central Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. It is derived from an old German word meaning “mittens” or “mittel,” which suggests its origin in the days when wearing protective clothing such as mittens was commonplace.
In Germany, the name can be found in states such as Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Austria, the name is largest in the state of Tyrol. It is also common in South Bohemia in the Czech Republic.
In the United States, the last name of Mittenhuber is less common, with the majority of families in the country having emigrated from Europe. As family lines have spread and intermingled, the surname has become less common. Many Mittenhubers in the US can trace their roots back to those who first came from Europe, particularly Germany.
Changing political landscapes, world wars, and other events over the centuries have led to migrations of families bearing the name to other parts of the world. For instance, some Mittenhubers migrated to Canada in the early 1900s. Others moved to Australia during the 1950s.
No matter where the name is today, Mittenhubers all descend from a long, storied ancestry of Europeans.
Variations of the surname Mittenhuber
Mittenhuber is an Old World German surname, originating in what is now Bavaria, Germany. It is also spelled Mittenhuber, Mittenhofer, Mittenhofer, Mattinger, Mettig, Mettel, Mattis, mattiss, Mettling, Mettenhofer, Mettinger, Metscher, Mettener, and Metzger.
The ancestors of the Mittenhuber family likely lived in the area near Augsburg in Bavaria, near the Upper Rhine Valley. The name is thought to derive from the old German phrase mittenhun, which translates to mean “middle-hut”, signifying an earlier occupation of one of their family members; likely a hutsman.
Over time, the spelling of the name has changed from the original Mittenhuber to many of the aforementioned spellings. Depending on the time and country in which someone with this surname lived, they may have found it necessary to adopt a different spelling of their last name. For example, during different time periods in various countries, Metzger may have been the preferred spelling of the surname in Hungary and Austria, while Mettling may have been the preferred spelling in Germany and Switzerland.
The primary branches of the Mittenhuber family, the Mittenhofers and the Mattingers, have surnames that derive from the same sixties in Bavaria. Over the centuries, the Mittenhuber family has expanded to other countries and cultures, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Regardless of the various changes in spelling, when spoken aloud, the name contains the same basic sound and meaning.
Famous people with the name Mittenhuber
- Richard Mittenhuber, Austrian ski racer
- Stefan Mittenhuber, Austrian photojournalist
- Michael Mittenhuber, Austrian released composer
- Anita Mittenhuber, Austrian former tennis player
- Hubert Mittenhuber, German former football player
- Reinhard Mittenhuber, Austrian former football player
- Rudolf Mittenhuber, Austrian former football player
- Ingrid Mittenhuber, Austrian former alpine skier
- Herbert MittenhuBer, Austrian former football player
- Petra Mittenhuber, Austrian former alpine skier