Surname Löckner - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Löckner: What does the surname Löckner mean?
The last name Löckner is of German origin and can be roughly translated to mean "locksmith". The name is unique to Germany and references a trade which has been around since the middle ages. The family name usually derived from one of three sources – the given name Locke, an occupation as a locksmith, or a geographic origin.
The Löckner name is likely derived from the Middle Low German loc, meaning ‘lock’, which corresponds to a profession as a locksmith. This was a sought-after trade in the Middle Ages, as locks were necessary for the security of homes and businesses. Examples of these locks were found from this time period in German-speaking areas, indicating that the trade was well established.
The surname Löckner today is still prominent in Germany, although the profession of locksmith has obviously since evolved. Modern locksmiths are now experts in security systems and electronic locks, as well as traditional lock-picking. As the profession has advanced, the presence of those with the last name “Löckner” has waned. Regardless, the family name is still an important part of the German cultural heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisLöckner: Where does the name Löckner come from?
The last name Löckner is most commonly found in Germany today. It's a German surname which originated from several different areas of the country. The earliest known records of the name appear in the 13th century and are mostly concentrated in Eastern Germany. From there, the name spread out around the country.
Today, Löckner is most common in the states of Hessen, Thuringen, Brandenburg, and Saxony an der Saale. These places are in the east and southeast of the country, near the former East German border. Generally speaking, the last name is most often found in the eastern part of Germany, in the states bordering Poland and the Czech Republic.
Additionally, this last name has also spread beyond Germany to other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is even found as far away as Argentina and Brazil.
Overall, Löckner is a fairly common last name in Germany today, as well as in many other parts of the world. It is likely to become even more common in the future as more people move around the world and the reach of the internet extends to every corner of the globe.
Variations of the surname Löckner
The surname Löckner is a German variant of the common surname Locker. It is also spelt as Lockner, Löckener, Lückner, or Lückener. The variants Locknar, Lörknar, Lossner, Lousner, Lootner, and Luppner may be found in other parts of Europe.
The ancestor of this family is believed to have lived in the south-west parts of Germany.The original family name is believed to have been derived from the German word ‘Loch’ which meant ‘a lock’ or ‘a bar’. Those people who used to work as locksmiths may have taken up this name as their surname.
The Löckner family was mainly found in the Palatinate region, where the name is closely associated with the villages of Lauf, Parkstein, and Zweibruecken.
Moreover, the surname Löckner also found in the year 1489 in the City of Neustadt where the Löckner family had established their residence.
In some instances, variants of this surname may also have been formed from stems of other words, such as 'Lücker', which is a dialect variant of 'Löcker' and is derived from the word for 'curved'.
The variants in the United States include Lockner, Lackner, Lacknause, Lounsbury, and Lusney. One family branch had become wealthy and was even awarded a baronetcy in 1790. However, the line extended from this branch has no heirs at present.
The Löckner surname is now found mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. There are also some bearers of this family name living in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Famous people with the name Löckner
- Eduard Löckner (1832-1899), German protestant theologian
- Wilhelm Gotthelf Löckner (1781-1851), German poet
- Corinne Löckner (1969- ), German-born Canadian actress
- Brigitta Löckener (1975- ), German long-distance runner
- Wolfgang Löckner (1944- ), German former footballer
- Ludwig Löckner (1904-1970), German professor of surgery
- Marie Löckner (1912-2004), German-born actress
- Walter Löckner (1925-1988), German-Australian theologian
- Helmut Löckner (1930-2006), German footballer
- Ulrich Löckner (1949- ), German actor