Surname Heither - Meaning and Origin

Heither: What does the surname Heither mean?

The surname Heither is of German origin and is believed to have derived from a personal name associated with an estate. The name was derived from the Old High German words “heiter,” meaning “bright,” and “er,” meaning “arm.” This combination suggests the owner of the Heither estate was well-to-do and possessed general power and authority in the area.

The Heither family can be traced back to the late medieval period, and records of people with the name Heither are found in the archives of many European countries throughout the centuries. Some of the earliest records of the surname include those of Jost Heither from Dortmund, Germany in 1491 and Margrete Heither from Holstein, Germany in 1615.

Heither is primarily found in Bavaria and Southern Germany, although it is also found in countries like Austria, Switzerland, and the United States. In modern times, the name Heither is sometimes used as both a given name and a surname.

Today, the Heither surname is associated with modern meanings such as strength, optimism, and progress, and is seen as a positive name choice for many families.

Heither: Where does the name Heither come from?

The last name Heither is a name of German origin. Today, the name is most commonly found in its native country of Germany. According to Ancestry.com, the surname is particularly common in the southern regions of the nation, particularly in and around its largest cities such as Berlin, Munich and Hamburg.

The name is also present in many other European countries as well. It can be found in Austria, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Italy and other countries in the region. In the United States, the name is not particularly common but records suggest that there are some Heithers living in various states.

The name Heither appears to be more popular in certain areas and cities such as Cologne and Essen in Germany and Beauvais in France, according to the White Pages. It is also fairly common in Austria and Luxembourg.

Outside of Europe, the name is especially common in Australia, owing to a large number of migrants from Germany in the late 1800s who adopted the name upon arrival. It is also present in New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

Variations of the surname Heither

Heither is an uncommon but distinctive surname of German origin. The root word, 'Heither', is an old German word meaning 'held high' or 'honorable'. It is most commonly found in the United States, with records dating back to the 18th century.

The most common variants of this name are 'Heydt' and 'Heiter', as well as similar spellings such as 'Heithar', 'Heyder', 'Heather', 'Hieder', 'Heither', 'Hiedt', 'Heyde', 'Heit', 'Heitt' and 'Heedt'

There are also several less common variants, such as 'Haither', 'Haiter', 'Heifer', 'Haigher', 'Hayther', 'Haeder', 'Haide', 'Heed', 'Haight' and 'Heyt'.

Surnames of the same origin include 'Hiedler', 'Hiedemann', 'Hiedemacher', 'Hiedl', 'Hedter', 'Heidliner', 'Heidtmann', 'Heithaus', 'Heidtner', 'Heiderman', 'Heidtner', 'Heithiser', 'Heitermann', 'Heidermitt', 'Heiter', 'Hetzer', 'Haider', 'Heuther', 'Hezinger', 'Heideman', 'Heidermann', 'Heitkamp', 'Heater', 'Heidrig' and 'Heidenrich'.

In total, there are over forty spellings and variants of the Heither surname, including four common variations.

Famous people with the name Heither

• Erika Heither, Austrian figure skater
• Michael Heither, German-born artist and filmmaker
• Raymond Heither, French-born photographer
• Christine Heither, Australian artist
• Jürgen Heither, German theater director
• Uwe Heinrich Heither, German philosopher
• Elizabeth Heither, American television producer
• Kate Heither, fashion and lifestyle photographer
• Gottfried Heither, Austrian politician
• Christian Heither, German cellist and composer

Other surnames

Heith