Surname Schlüther - Meaning and Origin
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Schlüther: What does the surname Schlüther mean?
The surname Schlüther is a German name which originated in northern Germany. It can have a variety of meanings depending on the spelling and regional origin.
The most common spelling is Schlüther and it is believed to be derived from the Low German elements schluter meaning ‘one who cut’ and thus, could have described an individual who worked as a tailor or cloth cutter. This could have been an occupational name that described someone who worked in the cloth and clothing industry, which was a major industry in Germany at the time.
Schlüther can also be a topographic name for someone who lived close to a bend in a river, or a place that was curved or bent in some way. It could also be a habitational or locational surname, derived from the place name Schluter, Schlüter or Schlüther, which is numerous in Germany.
The spelling variants include Schleuter, Schleutter, Schlueter, Schluetter, Schluuth, Schluet, Schlueter, Schluutter, Schluth, Schlut, Schluter and Schlutter. Whatever its etymological origin, this surname is strongly associated with Germany, although examples of the name can be found in other countries, primarily in countries with German-speaking populations.
Order DNA origin analysisSchlüther: Where does the name Schlüther come from?
The last name "Schlüther" is most commonly found in Germany today. Schlüthers are almost exclusively German, with very few known examples outside of the country. The name is especially common in the North-Rhein-Westphalia region of Germany, with clusters of Schlüther families found in its cities of Essen, Dortmund, and Duisburg.
The name is believed to be derived from an old German word that can be translated to 'schleuth', meaning 'cleared woodland'. Therefore, it is thought to have originally been an occupational name for a person who worked in forestry or was a groundskeeper.
The earliest known record of people with the same spelling of the Schlüther name dates back to the 17th century in the city of Lübeck, Germany, and continued to appear in records consistently in the following centuries. During the 18th century, Schlüther families moved from Lübeck and appeared in records of other parts of Germany, including the aforementioned North-Rhein-Westphalia region.
Thus, today, Schlüther is a common name in northern Germany, and is especially common in modern German cities such as Essen, Dortmund, and Duisburg. Very few examples of the name exist outside of Germany, making it a distinctly German name.
Variations of the surname Schlüther
Schlüther is an occupational surname derived from the German word "Schluter," meaning tiler or ceramic fitter. It is an especially common surname in northern Germany and can be encountered in several spelling variants, including Schlüter, Schluter, Schlueter, Schluter, and Schleuter. It is also known to be spelled in some dialects as Sluter, Shluter, and Shlueter.
The Swedish form of the surname is Schlyter, while Dutch forms include Schluiter, Schulter, and Schoutter. In some South African records, the name can be encountered in the forms Shluter and Sluter.
The name is also found in various combinations, especially in German-speaking countries. Compounds such as Schlutermeier, Schluterhoff, Schluterberg, Schlutersee, and Schluterhöfer are all variants of Schlüther, usually found in Germany's former Prussian provinces.
In North America, the spelling is usually simplified to Sholter or Schluter in English-speaking contexts, and in English contexts it is also occasionally found spelled as Schulter. In addition to these forms, Schlüther can also be found as Schlather, Schlutter, and Schlother.
Other surname variants from this same root include Shluth, Scholtz, Scholz, Soltz, and Soltes.
Famous people with the name Schlüther
- Ewald Schlüther (1862–1942), German zoologist
- Bernhard Schlüther (1920–1999), German painter and graphic artist
- Jürgen Schlüther (born 1960), German actor
- Kyra Schlüther (born 1986), German athlete
- Steffen Schlüther (born 1993), German footballer
- Kirsten Schlüther (born 1965), German former competitive figure skater
- Uwe Schlüther (born 1947), German sprint canoer
- Heiko Schlüther (born 1966), German football free kick specialist
- Johann Schlüther (1890–1949), German journalist and political publisher
- Christian Schlüther (1941–2003), German politician