Surname Hochreuter - Meaning and Origin

Hochreuter: What does the surname Hochreuter mean?

The surname Hochreuter is of German origin. It can be broken down into two parts: “Hoch” and “reuter." The term “Hoch” in German means ‘high’ or ‘tall’ and “reuter” refers to a knight or horseman. So, the name could potentially imply a tall or high-standing knight. This suggests that the ancestors of the Hochreuter family may have been esteemed knights or individuals of some stature. It's also quite common for surnames to originate from geographical features, so 'Hochreuter' could also signify someone from a higher region or place. The spelling of surnames usually changed over centuries as many were passed down orally and literacy rates were low among the general populace. Hence, the name might vary in different records and documents. Today it is quite rare and mostly found in Germany and Austria. Remember that surnames are a glimpse into our ancestors' lives, their occupation, or designation, and give us a sense of our family's history.

Hochreuter: Where does the name Hochreuter come from?

The last name Hochreuter is of German origin. The name is derived from a combination of the German words "hoch", meaning "high" or "tall", and "reuter", a variant of "reiter" which means "rider". Therefore, the name could roughly be interpreted as "tall rider". This might suggest that it was originally used to describe individuals who were tall and possibly horse riders. German surnames often originated from occupations, geographical locations, and personal descriptions.

Today, Hochreuter is not a particularly common surname worldwide, but it is found most frequently in Germany, the country of its origin. In addition, due to historical migration patterns, you might find individuals with this surname in countries where German immigrants have settled, including the United States, and other parts of Europe. However, even in these places, Hochreuter remains a relatively unique surname. Please note that the prevalence or concentration of the Hochreuter surname can change over time and can be influenced by various factors including migration and changes in the naming conventions.

Variations of the surname Hochreuter

The surname Hochreuter originates from Germany and is relatively uncommon. Variations of the name include Hochreuther, Hochretter, and possibly even Hosegood. Other spellings might include Hochreitter or Hohreuter. The prefixes "Hoch" or "Hoh" means "high", and the suffix "reuter" can be traced back to the Middle High German word "riute" or "reute" (meaning clearing). Therefore, the surname should refer to someone living in or by a high clearing.

Some people with this surname might use a simplified spelling when they emigrated to other countries where German isn't spoken. For instance, immigrants to English-speaking countries might have changed the spelling to be phonetic like Hokreiter, Hockreiter, or Hawkreiter. However, it should be noted that these alternative versions are quite rare and not widely used. Furthermore, the surname has various transcription forms owing to regional dialects and ancient scripts in which spelling conventions were not fully standardized, hence the surname could be encountered in numerous forms.

Despite these variations, Hosgood has evolved into a distinct surname on its own and so it might not necessarily be connected to Hochreuter.

Famous people with the name Hochreuter

• Heinrich Hochreuter: He was a German judoka, university instructor, and the German national judo champion in the Open Weight Division (Grosser Preis).
• Jenni Hochreuter: The famous Swedish pop singer is best known for her songs “You’re the One” and “Year of Change.”
• Gordon Hochreuter: A Swiss footballer who played for almost a decade with Basel FC, the Swiss Super League team, before retiring in 2019.
• Sergei Hochreuter: Russian Orthodox priest, historian, and theologian who serves as the Head of the Department of Strategic Studies and International Relations at the Russian Orthodox Theological Academy of Moscow.
• Bernd Hochreuter: German composer who specialized in bank commercials for television as well as music for theater and films.
• Hermann Hochreuter: German geographer and meteorologist who made key advances in the application of differentially corrected GPS data.
• Joe Hochreuter: Former professional ice hockey player who played for the St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers from 2001 to 2009.
• Johannes Hochreuter: German pilot, author of the book “Der Kampf vor dem Allgäu: Die letzten Tage der Luftwaffenfront 1945” who served in the German Air Force during World War II.
• Kurt Hochreuter: The head of the Munich-based printing company Dietrich Reimer Verlag and one of the most influential publishers in Germany.
• Maria Hochreuter: The German artist whose works dabbled in the Pop Art movement have been featured in Europe’s most prestigious art shows.

Other surnames

HochreutherHochreutter