Surname Hilgerth - Meaning and Origin
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Hilgerth: What does the surname Hilgerth mean?
The last name Hilgerth is a German surname originating from Bavaria and Hesse. It is derived from the name “Hilger” which likely comes from the Germanic personal name “Hilligero” meaning “Battle Spear.” It is a more common name in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is found in various spellings like Hilgart or Hielgart.
The name is believed to be related to the legacy of the ancient Germanic tribe known as the Chatti. They lived in an area known as “Hessia” and were believed to be a branch of the Franks. An ancient word for “army” or “host” was “Hilge” which is related to the name Hilger.
Hilgerth was likely an occupational name, and it might have referred to a blacksmith or a weaponsmith, as the name is derived from “battles” and “spears.” Today, people with this surname are likely to be found in areas where the Chatti settled, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is also possible that some members of the Hilgerth family may have migrated to other countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisHilgerth: Where does the name Hilgerth come from?
The last name Hilgerth is most commonly found in Germany today. This is due to its origins, which trace back to medieval Germany. The word itself is composed of two parts: hielger, a German word meaning "hunter", and -th, a diminutive suffix. It was initially used as a surname to refer to someone who was a hunter, or excelled at hunting.
The name is found in records dating back to the 13th century, with many variations on this spelling. In 1532, a family of the name Hilgerth was recorded in Ostragehege, Germany. It is believed this is the family from which most modern Hilgerth's descend.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 500 people with the Hilgerth name. Today, the number is much higher, believed to be around 8,000. Because it originated in a rural area, historically many of these people have remained in that area. Today, people with the last name Hilgerth are most commonly to be found in the region of Saxony, in eastern Germany.
The Hilgerth last name is thus found most commonly in Germany today. It is likely to continue to be so, due to the low population turnover historically seen with that family name.
Variations of the surname Hilgerth
The surname Hilgerth is derived from the original German name Hilger, which is a combination of the first name Hilger with an added suffix used to indicate a family connection. Other spellings of Hilgerth found in other countries or languages may include Hillgerth, Hilgart, Hilgerth, Hilguerth, Hilgert, Hillgart, Hilgertz, Hilguertz, Hilguert, Heelgerth, and Heelgart.
The common surname Hilgerth is believed to have originated from the German region of Bavaria, specifically in the area between the Rhine and Neckar rivers, in modern day Germany. It is also believed to have been a popular surname that was used in Germanic regions of Europe. This region is thought to be the origin of the Hilgerth surname and was also the home area of the Hilgerth family, at least up until the 18th century.
A variant surname of Hilgerth is the Germanic Heelgerth, with other variants such as Hellgert or Hellgart. The Heelgerth spelling dates back to the 18th century, when many German surnames were transformed by the addition of the Lehmenden suffix. This suffix was a sign of belonging to a specific family, similar to the Hilgerth family, and differentiated them from other members of the same community.
The Hilgerth surname also has variants in other languages, such as French and Italian, which include Hilgerit, Legèrit, and Legierte. In England, a variant spelling is Hillgerth, while another similar surname is the Dutch Hilgers. In general, the various spellings and variants of the Hilgerth surname always remain associated and are still used by people of the same family to identify themselves.
Famous people with the name Hilgerth
- Etienne Hilgerth: French football player
- Leo Hilgerth: German Social Democrat politician who was a veteran of the First World War
- David Hilgerth: Austrian astronomer, discoverer of minor planets
- Erni Hilgerth: artist, printmaker, and author
- Torsten Hilgerth: German illustrator, author, and graphic designer
- Ferdinand Hilgerth: German sculptor whose works are mostly in the Art Nouveau style
- Anna Hilgerth: Finnish physician who dedicated her life to caring for the poor and indigent
- Bernhard Hilgerth: German music theorist, poet, and composer
- Ludwig Hilgerth: German anatomist, pathologist, and physicist
- Henry Hilgerth: American track and field athlete