Surname Pörtner - Meaning and Origin
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Pörtner: What does the surname Pörtner mean?
The last name Pörtner is thought to have originated from the Middle German ‘pört’ which means ‘gate’ or ‘door’. It may signify someone who guarded a gate, door, or perhaps lived near one. It can also be spelled as Poertner.
The name is common in Germany, and especially in Bavaria and parts of the Rhineland. Migrants with this surname also went to Israel, the US, the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, and Austria. There are also records of the surname in the United Kingdom.
The modern German form of the name is Pörtner, which is derived from the Old German word, “poorte”, indicating someone from a small locality who was responsible for tending the gates of a city or village. This occupation could range from a simple gatekeeper to a steward for a more important domain.
Pörtner is still a very common name in Germany today and among the immigrant Pörtner families in other countries. It is a patronymic name, derived from the first name of an ancestor, typically a father or grandfather. In some cases, the name may have been derived from physical features of the original bearer, such as the color of their hair or eyes.
The Pörtner surname carries strong ties to the German heritage, and remains a testament to many generations of stubborn, powerful, and determined people.
Order DNA origin analysisPörtner: Where does the name Pörtner come from?
The last name Pörtner is common today mainly in Germany and Austria. According to the Forebears surname index, it the 338th most common surname in Germany and is the 2,616th most common surname in Austria.
The term of the Pörtner surname originated from the word "Formular", meaning tax collector or gate keeper. This was a position of local authority in medieval times. Those with the surname of Pörtner were often responsible for collection of dues from those who used the gates of their town.
The name Pörtner was recorded in the year 1311. It was documented in the towns of Rothenburg an der Tauber, Eichstätt, Neinhofen, and Neuburg. The coat of arms of the family is a black shield with a golden gate - an obvious reference to the ancestry of the name.
Today, Pörtner is a very common German surname. Along with Germany and Austria, the surname is common in many other countries where people of German descent have settled. These countries include the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and Uruguay among others.
The surname Pörtner is most common in Germany, closely followed by Austria. However, it is an ancestral German surname, so people with this surname are found all over the world.
Variations of the surname Pörtner
Pörtner is an occupational surname derived from the Old High German word 'purtar', meaning 'gatekeeper' or 'doorkeeper'. Variations of the name range from the original Dutch spelling of Pertner to the Germanic spelling of Pörtner and the English spelling of Porter.
Other similar derivations such as Poertner, Perner, Peartner, Portner, Portnar, Perterner, Portener, Pirtner, Perter, Portner, Puertner, and Puerter can also be found in Austrian, Swiss, Dutch, German and American records. A less-common spelling of the name is Poirtner.
Common variants of the Pörtner surname include Partnoy, Portney, and Porthun.
The Eastern European spelling variation of Pörtner is known as Poturnyak or Poturniak.
Surnames derived from the same origin as Pörtner include Portmann, Portman, Portaro, Pratorius, Portero, and Portmanov.
In some places, particularly in France, the name has undergone metathesis, with the original Pörtner being transformed into Prötner, Prötter, Pröttner, and Prüttner.
Some surname variants for Pörtner have been adapted to specific locations, such as Purtner, Purtnere, Purtner, or Purtnerin in Croatia, but this could also come direct from the original Dutch spelling.
Pörtner is also the base of a number of compound and hyphenated surnames such as Prtschitsch-Pörtner.
Other related surnames include Portnarry, Partney, Partny, and Portnoff.
Famous people with the name Pörtner
- Volker Pörtner: Professor in Neuroendocrinology at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany.
- Sabine Pörtner: German actress known for her roles in 'Teamwork', 'Kir Royal', 'Tatort', 'The Old Fox' and 'Utta Danella.
- Mely Pörtner: Austrian artist and engraver.
- Thomas Pörtner: Engineer and inventor from Vienna, Austria.
- Robert Pörtner: Austrian composer and conductor.
- Horst Pörtner: German author and illustrator.
- Richard Pörtner: former financial executive from the United States.
- Jürgen Pörtner: Professor of Integrative Physiology at the Ludwig Maxmilian University, Munich.
- Helmut Pörtner: Austrian conductor and composer.
- Lothar Pörtner: German cinematographer.
- Joye Pörtner: Canadian writer, poet, and academic.
- Uta Pörtner: German writer and radio playwright.
- Katja Pörtner: German composer and pianist.
- Manfred Pörtner: Austrian philosopher and theologian.
- Alfred Pörtner: German Olympic equestrian and winner of gold at the 1928 Summer Olympic Games in Amsterdam.