Surname Hochreiter - Meaning and Origin

Hochreiter: What does the surname Hochreiter mean?

Hochreiter is a German surname that originates from Bavaria, a state in Southeast Germany. It is considered an occupational surname, which suggests it likely evolved from a type of work the person or their ancestors were involved in. The name Hochreiter roughly translates to "high rider" or "upper rider". In the context of medieval Germany, this could possibly denote someone who was a knight, a cavalry rider in the army, or someone who rode horses in a higher, more skillful manner. Such occupational surnames were prevalent during the Middle Ages and can give insights into the type of work generations of a family were engaged in. As with all surnames, specific family histories may vary and the exact origin can only be confirmed through personalized genealogical research.

Hochreiter: Where does the name Hochreiter come from?

The last name Hochreiter is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German terms “hoch” meaning “high” and “reiten” meaning “to ride.” This suggests that it might have evolved from a topographical name for someone who lived in a high-riding area, or perhaps a nickname or occupational name for someone known for riding high on a horse. Today, the surname Hochreiter is most common in Germany and Austria. It is in these countries that the highest concentration of individuals bearing this name resides. However, migrations over centuries have led to the spread of the surname across different parts of Europe and into the Americas, particularly the United States. Despite this, it is generally not a very common surname. Some famous individuals bearing this name include Sepp Hochreiter, an Austrian computer scientist known for his work in artificial intelligence.

Variations of the surname Hochreiter

The surname Hochreiter is of German origin and predominantly found in Germany, Austria, and parts of the United States. Variants and spelling of the surname can include Hohreiter, Hoehreiter and Hokreiter.

It is important to note that the spelling of surnames often changed over time and could be influenced by myriad factors such as phonetic spelling, regional dialects, and even immigration. For example, when families migrated to English-speaking countries, their surnames were often anglicized or simplified, so one might find Hochreiter being spelled different ways in different records.

Hochreiter is a compound word in German with 'hoch' meaning 'high' or 'tall' and 'reiter' meaning 'rider'. Hence, the surname could also be found in forms like Highrider or Highreiter in English-speaking regions, though these versions are likely to be rare.

However, it seems that the original spelling 'Hochreiter' is the most common one and variations are rare. This could be due to the relatively late German immigration to the US, which usually saw less anglicization of names due to better registration practices and higher literacy rates compared to earlier waves of immigration.

Famous people with the name Hochreiter

• Leo Hochreiter: Austrian handball player and coach.
• Jakob Hochreiter: Austrian composer and pianist of the late Classical/early Romantic era.
• Richard Hochreiter: an Austrian journalist, writer, author.
• Robert Hochreiter: Austrian cyclist who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.
• Bernhard Hochreiter: Austrian politician and cultural and media worker.
• Max Hochreiter: (1915–1996), German painter, graphic artist and poet.
• Johann Georg Hochreiter: 18th-century Austrian army officer.
• John M. Hochreiter: U.S. architect whose career included Residential & Commercial projects.
• Ferdinand Hochreiter: early 20th-century Austrian sculptor.
• Anton Hochreiter: Austrian political philosopher.
• Wolfgang Hochreiter: one of the oldest contemporary composer living in Austria.
• Johannes Hochreiter: German lawyer, publisher and politician from Lower Bavaria.
• Michael Hochreiter: actor and director who has appeared in multiple Austro-German films and stage productions.
• Noel Hochreiter, American professor in Materials Science, Engineering, and nano-technology.
• John Hochreiter, American trucker, humanitarian and founder of the Brother’s Keepers Project.
• Stan Hochreiter, American professor of economics and popular author in the field of managerial economics.

Other surnames

HochreitherHochreitter