Surname Mühlfeldner - Meaning and Origin
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Mühlfeldner: What does the surname Mühlfeldner mean?
The last name Mühlfeldner is a German-language surname derived from the word mühle, meaning “mill”. It suggests that the original bearer of the name worked or owned a mill (Mühlfeld) and likely derived their family name from that occupation. In fact, the surname first appeared in Bavarian records in the 1500s, when a man named Zacharias Mühlfeldner was listed as a miller who lived near Würzburg.
Due to a series of signaling and technological improvements, the 18th century saw the emergence of larger and more efficient mills being built, which allowed the Mühlfeldner family to become quite successful. As a result, many members of the family moved into urban centers and established businesses, such as printing presses, textile workshops, and engineering firms.
The rise of industrialization and the subsequent growth of urban populations during the 19th century allowed the Mühlfeldners to become even more successful, as their businesses flourished and they began to accumulate considerable wealth and social status. This wealth and status has enabled the Mühlfeldner family to become widely represented in local government, business, and academia, and even today, there are members of the family that hold positions of influence in many European countries.
All told, the last name Mühlfeldner has an interesting meaning and history. As the name suggests, it has its roots in the milling industry, but over time, it has become associated with success, wealth, and prestige.
Order DNA origin analysisMühlfeldner: Where does the name Mühlfeldner come from?
The last name Mühlfeldner is associated with Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, as this is where it is most commonly found today. According to records, the Mühlfeldner family first started to be mentioned in central Germany and the Rhineland in the 17th century. As the family spread out, it is believed that the Mühlfeldner name was adopted by a variety of other families around this time too.
The biggest concentration of people with the surname Mühlfeldner is in Austria. Over the years, the name has become more prominent in this region, with approximately 6000 people today bearing the name in some capacity. In Germany, approximately 500 people currently carry the surname, while it’s estimated around 200 people have the name in Switzerland. These figures do not however give the full picture as the name is likely to be much more widespread than these stats suggest. It is likely that many German citizens with this surname have emigrated to other countries in search of work and a new life.
Mühlfeldner is typically a surname associated with rural, agricultural areas, and it’s likely it originates from farmers. ‘Muhl’, likely refers to a mill, while ‘feldner’ could refer to someone who works in fields or lived in a farm in a rural context.
Variations of the surname Mühlfeldner
Mühlfeldner is a surname of German origin. The different spellings, variants and surnames that originate from this root include the following:
Muehlfeldner, Mohlfeldner, Muehlfeldner, Muhlfeldner, Muhlfeldner, Milfeldner and Millfeldner.
The variants with one ‘l’ and one ‘f’, namely Muhlfeldner and Muhlfeldner, generally signify the same origin. The variants with two ‘l’s and one ‘f’, namely Mohlfeldner, Milfeldner and Millfeldner, are slightly more common and the last two can also have Jewish origins.
The variants with two ‘l’s and two ‘f’s, namely Muehlfeldner and Muehlfeldner, are fairly uncommon and may refer to the surname Mühlbach, which is changed to Mühlfeldner when the bearer is in the service of a miller.
All of the variants, spellings and surnames that originate from Mühlfeldner can variously be associated with lands of refuge, monks, or those who owned, worked or held office at a mill. They may also be associated with the trade of millenial documents (mühlenbrief) in which a tenant was given the right to fish in a miller’s waters.
Famous people with the name Mühlfeldner
- Bernd Muhlfeldner: German author, specialist in Corpus Linguistics and Digital Humanities, member of the Leipziger Forschungsverbund Digital Humanities.
- Georg Muhlfeldner: German football player, played for teams such as 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1950s and 60s.
- Stefan Muhlfeldner: Austrian professional ice hockey player currently playing for EC VSV in the Austrian Hockey League.
- Richard Muhlfeldner: Austrian professional ice hockey player. Currently plays for Dornbirner EC in the Austrian league.
- Heinz Muhlfeldner: Austrian musician and composer, founder of a musical ensemble called 'Muhlfeldner & Friends'.
- Johannes Muhlfeldner: German football player, played for teams such as Eintracht Braunschweig and SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the 1960s.
- Johann Muhlfeldner: German football player, active in the 1960s and 70s.
- Anton Muhlfeldner: German football player, active in the 1950s and 60s.
- Eduard Muhlfeldner: Austrian music teacher, composer and conductor.
- Reinhard Mühlfeldner: German professor for Psychology, specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience and clinical Cognitive Science.