Surname Höhe - Meaning and Origin
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Höhe: What does the surname Höhe mean?
The last name Höhe is a German word with several potential origins. It is derived from the German word for "height" and is most likely derived from an ancestor who lived near or on a hill. Alternatively, Höhe may be derived from the place name of a hill where a family used to live. It may also be a surname that originated from the occupation of an ancestor who worked on a hill, such as a hunter or timber worker.
In some cases, the surname is derived from the German word höhlen, meaning "cave". This could indicate an ancestor who worked as a miner or lived in a cave region.
Höhe can also be found as a palatinate or individual given name, deriving from Hohenzollern dynasty and Hohe, the family's ancestral seat in today's Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.
The meaning of the surname Höhe is strongly related to height. During the Middle Ages, families who lived on hills often gained status and wealth, so it's likely that an ancestor of the Höhe family was successful or well-off. An origin of the surname may come from a family who lived close to or on a hill, resided in a cave region, or had wealthy ancestry from a hillside. Ultimately, the meaning of Höhe depends largely on its origin and the circumstances of its bearers.
Order DNA origin analysisHöhe: Where does the name Höhe come from?
The last name Höhe is most commonly found in Germany today. According to the 1998 Geogen German surname survey, the concentrations of people bearing this name are mainly found in the southern states. Specifically, the name Höhe is most common in Baden-Wurttemberg, with concentrations in the Stuttgart metropolitan area and the city of Freiburg. It is also quite common in the states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in the city state of Berlin.
The surname Höhe is derived from the German word for 'height', which can refer to geographical elevation or an elevated rank or degree of something. In some cases, the Höhe surname is an occupational name, referring to a professional whose job was to measure the altitude in a given area.
Höhe is a relatively uncommon name outside of Germany, although a few individuals with the surname have emigrated and settled outside the country, particularly in North America and Australia. The coat of arms associated with the name was created in the 13th century and features two silver wolf heads on a black shield.
Variations of the surname Höhe
The surname Höhe is of German origin and can be broken down into two words – höhe meaning height and he meaning house. This is often transliterated into English as Hehe and there are a number of variations including Hoehe, Hohe, Hoeh, Hueh, Huehe, Hue, Heihe, Hohehuhe, and Hoehme.
The name Höhe is derived from an old Germanic personal name Hofo, which also gave rise to the surname Hoven or Hoffen in Germany. The name most likely originated from a place name associated with the house of Hofo. It is believed that the family adopted the name as a surname or nickname when surnames began to be used in Germany.
Over the centuries, the surname has seen many variations in its spelling such as Hoehe, Hehe, Hohe, Hueh, Heihe, Hue, and Hoehme. Different spellings could have emerged due to regional names or dialects of the region in which they resided or even for religious or political reasons.
Given its Germanic origins, the Höhe surname may have many surnames of similar origin, such as Hoven, Hoffen, and Heuven. All of these surnames can be traced back to the same personal name Hofo, with variations appearing in their spelling due to changes in pronunciation, changes in meaning, and migration from one region to another.
For example, during the Migration Period of the 5th and 6th centuries, many Germanic tribes moved from their homelands in Germany to settle in what is now Ukraine and Belarus, where they adopted the Russian language and settled in Ukrainian villages. During this time, Germans began to replace their names with more Russian-sounding versions, such as Hueh, Huehe and Hohehuhe, likely to better fit in.
Overall, the German surname Höhe has seen many changes in its spelling since its first recorded use. While its original meaning and origin remain the same, its pronunciation and spelling have adapted over time, giving rise to an array of related surnames, all of which can be traced back to the same source.
Famous people with the name Höhe
- Erich Höhe (1875-1944), German general and politician
- Christine Höhe (1903–1991), German Olympic athlete
- Werner Höhe (born 1943), German politician
- Jan Höhe (born 2000), German racing driver
- Guido Höhe (born 1961), German actor and television presenter
- Justus von Höhe (1841–1915), German psychoanalyst
- Karin Höhe (1930-2005), German sculptor
- Hans Höhe (1887-1954), German photographer
- Karl Höhe (1915: 2003), German mathematician
- Claus Höhe (1924-2011), German musicologist