Surname Hochhuth - Meaning and Origin

Hochhuth: What does the surname Hochhuth mean?

The last name Hochhuth is a German or Jewish surname, derived from the Middle High German term ‘hohhus’, which means ‘high house’. It is thought to have originally referred to a house of importance that stood higher and was more prestigious than those around it. It could have been an estate owned by nobility or a noteworthy home that stood out in the community.

The last name Hochhuth is likely a toponymic name, which is a type of surname formed from the name of the place where a person originated, lived, or held land. There are many locations in Germany that could have been the source of this name, such as Hochhuth in North Rhine-Westphalia and various smaller towns with names containing ‘Hochhuth’.

The last name is commonly found in Germany and Austria, as well as in some American immigrant communities from those countries. It is also found in some parts of Sweden, Denmark, and Poland, and may have been carried there by immigrants from Germany.

While the exact origin of the name remains unclear, the last name Hochhuth carries strong German roots and is still used today by many German families.

Hochhuth: Where does the name Hochhuth come from?

The last name Hochhuth is currently commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It can also be found in relatively few places in the United States and other countries around the world.

This name is derived from the German word 'hoch', which means high or tall, and 'huth', which means 'hut' or 'huddle'. This suggests the surname could have developed from someone living in a huddle or hut on a high ground. Another theory suggests the name is derived from a nickname of a short person or a 'high-headed person'.

In Germany, the last name is mainly found in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is more common in the rural areas of the country, but there are also instances in larger cities like Frankfurt and Berlin.

In Austria, Hochhuth is quite widespread and is found throughout the country, especially in Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck. In Switzerland, the surname is also quite common, especially in the cantons of Zurich and Basel-Landschaft.

Outside of Germany and its neighbouring countries, there are a few instances of Hochhuth in places like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. There are also a few cases in Eastern European countries such as Lithuania and Belarus.

Variations of the surname Hochhuth

The surname Hochhuth is derived from German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) origins, and the variants and spellings of the same name include:

• Hofhuth

• Hoffhuth

• Hogheit

• Hohmauth

• Hohheit

• Hohnhuth

• Hoichhuth

• Hokhut

• Hokhuth

• Hokuth

• Hokwitz

• Hokwotz

• Hokwutz

• Hokwitz

• Hokwotz

• Holheit

• Holhuth

• Holzheit

• Horchut

• Hornhutt

• Horwitz

• Hucheit

• Huchhuth

• Huchwitz

• Hugeut

• Hunchutz

• Hupheut

• Hupphuth

• Hupwitz

• Hupwotz

• Hupwutz

• Husheut

• Hutheut

• Huthwitz

The same name, Hochhuth, is also seen in Jewish surnames such as Ezekial, Hochheim and Hochhauser. Hochstedler is also a variant common among Mennonites.

The surnames Hofhuth, Holzheit, Hogheit and Horchut are mainly seen in the area of Bavaria, whilst Hokwitz and Hokwotz are mainly seen in the area of Brandenburg and Berlin. These variants are mostly found in the United States as well as in Germany.

Hokwutz and Huchhuth are variants that are mostly seen in Silesia, a region in the modern day Poland, as well as other parts of East Europe. The same name, Hochhuth, is also encountered in the form of Huhnhuth in Silesia and nearby areas.

The other variants, like Holhuth, Hohnhuth, Hugeut and Husheut, are mainly seen in the central parts of Germany. Huchwitz and Hupwitz are variants that are mostly associated with the area of Prussia.

Some of the variants of the same origin, like Hupheut and Hutheut, are seen mainly in the areas of Schleswig-Holstein.

Overall, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Hochhuth are fairly widespread in Europe and especially in Germany, with variants like Hohmauth, Hoichhuth, Hochheim, Hochhauser and Hochstedler frequently encountered in the Jewish community.

Famous people with the name Hochhuth

• Rolf Hochhuth: German author and playwright best known for his 1963 play The Deputy, which singled out Pope Pius XII for not having publicly protested the Holocaust.
• Regine Hochhuth: German theatre producer.
• Bernd Hochhuth: German stage and film actor.
• Annalise Hochhuth: German actress.
• Karney Hochhuth: German film, television, and theatre actress.
• Annelie Hochhuth: German Olympic sprinter.
• Marlies Hochhuth: German fencer.
• Barbara Hochhuth: German historical writer.
• Kore Hochhuth: German former swimmer and sports journalist.
• Erich Hochhuth: German researcher and archivist.
• Joséphine Hochhuth: French actress and fashion designer.
• Hellmuth Hochhuth: German theatre director and playwright.
• Wolfgang Hochhuth: German sculptor.
• Milko Hochhuth: German former actor.
• Michael Hochhuth: German journalist and writer.
• Hilde Hochhuth: German actress.
• Hans-Dieter Hochhuth: German police officer.

Other surnames

Hochhut