Surname Mitterhofer - Meaning and Origin
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Mitterhofer: What does the surname Mitterhofer mean?
The last name Mitterhofer is a German surname, derived from the old German "Mittelhofer". The name is derived from the words "mittel" and "hofer", which mean "middle" and "farmer" respectively. The original bearer of this surname likely lived in the middle of a farming area and was either a tenant farmer or the owner of the land.
The name is believed to have originated in Germany, most likely in the area of Franconia, Bavaria. It is believed that the name originated from a farming family that established their farm in the area of Bavaria and Austria during the High Middle Ages.
Variant spellings of the surname include Mitterhofer, Mitterhoffer, Mitterhoffen, Mitterhoff and Mittelhofer, while those named Mitterhoffer and Mitterhoffen are more common in Austria. Historically, Mitterhofer is most common in north Bavaria and Austria. The Mitterhofer name has evolved over the centuries, and is still carried by many families across Germany and Austria today.
The Mitterhofer name is rooted in Johann Mitterhofer, who lived in 1586 in the city of Türkenfeld, Bavaria. His son, Johann Mitterhofer II, is believed to be the first recorded owner of the Mitterhofer name, based on a document that was signed in 1600 listing him as the owner of an estate in the city of Schwabsoien-Sulzbach, near Munich.
The name Mitterhofer is associated with those who take pride in their family past, and those who take seriously the long history of their family name.
Order DNA origin analysisMitterhofer: Where does the name Mitterhofer come from?
The last name Mitterhofer is commonly found today in parts of Germany and Austria. According to the Genealogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Mitterhofer is a German-Austrian surname that is most frequently found in the south German regions of Bavaria and the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is also present in the adjacent states of Vorarlberg, Lower Austria, and Upper Austria.
The most common spelling of Mitterhofer is Mütterhofer, with the umlaut over the "U". This spelling is more often seen in Austria than in Germany, where the spelling without the umlaut is more prevalent. The surname is believed to have originated as a form of occupational name, being derived from the name of a mill-keeper.
Variations of the Mitterhofer name are also found in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, and in the United States, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Spelling variants include Muetterle, Mutterle, Muetter, Muetterhof and Muttershofer.
Although the Mitterhofer surname originated in German-speaking countries, it is not necessary to be of German descent to bear the name. Descents from other countries, including non-German-speaking countries, may take the surname as their own, reflecting their familial connection to the original Mitterhofer family.
Variations of the surname Mitterhofer
Mitterhofer is a German surname, with several variants and alternative spellings, all of which ultimately derive from the same origin. Among the most common variants of Mitterhofer is Mitterhoffer, pronounced 'MEE-ter-HOFF-er'. This spelling has become more widely used in recent decades and is the preferred spelling in some parts of Europe. Other spellings include Miterhofer, Mittherhofer and Mytherhofer. The surname is also often found in its plural form: 'Mitterhöfer'.
The origin of the surname Mitterhofer is also likely from an occupational source, meaning "proprietor of a mill", from two Germanic words: 'muhr', meaning mill, and 'hofer', from the Middle High German 'hôfer', meaning proprietor. Over time, the 'hofer' suffix underwent a slight phonetic change in some dialects of German, leading to the 'hofer' spelling becoming 'hoffer' in northern Germany.
Other surnames which have the same origin as Mitterhofer include Mullhofer, Mühlfelfer, Muhlfelder and Muhlhofer. Many of these have also been shortened over time, with Mullhofer becoming Moller, and Mühlfelfer becoming Mulfellner.
In some cases, the original Mitterhofer name has undergone further phonetic changes, and can be found as Mitterfelder, Mitterholer, Metterhelder and Mittehelder. These variants are now quite rare and are not found to be in common use today.
Famous people with the name Mitterhofer
- Joseph Mitterhofer, Austrian astronomer
- Marcel Mitterhofer, Austrian soccer player
- Elisabeth Mitterhofer, Austrian sculptor
- Johann Mitterhofer, Austrian philosopher
- Michael Mitterhofer, Austrian opera singer
- Resi Mitterhofer, Austrian child actress
- Johann Mitterhofer, Austrian painter
- Erich Mitterhofer, Austrian composer
- Paul Mitterhofer, German film director
- Rudi Mitterhofer, Austrian painter and poet
- Lucia Mitterhofer, German sculptor
- Ludwig Mitterhofer, Austrian sculptor
- Annette Mitterhofer, Austrian sculptor
- Max Mitterhofer, German entrepreneur
- Alfred Mitterhofer, Austrian theater director