Surname Hördel - Meaning and Origin
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Hördel: What does the surname Hördel mean?
The last name Hördel is of German origin and is derived from a nickname derived from the German word 'hören', which means 'to listen (to)' or 'to hear'.
This surname was probably developed from nicknames given to someone who was a good and attentive listener, or who was a frequently heard voice.
The surname is fairly uncommon and is found primarily in Germany, as well as in Austria and Switzerland, and to a lesser extend in other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and Mexico, among others.
Historically, the surname Hördel was also a common occupational surname given to someone who made or played horns; such as the musicians employed by towns and cities or court trumpeters. It is thought that these occupational nicknames were developed from the German word 'Horner' which means 'horn maker'.
In more recent times, the surname Hördel is more likely to be found as a spelling variant of the more commonly found Horden, meaning 'hearer or one who listens'. This variant is more commonly found in countries in which German immigration has been more common.
Order DNA origin analysisHördel: Where does the name Hördel come from?
The last name Hördel is most common today in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. According to the Volksnamenregister (VNR), which keeps records of last names in Europe and provides an estimate of the population of each name, Hördel is particularly common in regions of lower Franconia in Germany, including Aschaffenburg, Bamberg and Würzburg.
It is also quite common in Austria, particularly in the province of Vorarlberg. Additionally, Hördel is present in moderate numbers in the Zürcher Oberland region of Switzerland. There are also family lines of this name found in the United States, mainly among descendants of German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and other parts of the country.
The name itself is of German origin, with "Hördel" meaning "hard" or "as hard as a rock". It is thought to have originated in medieval Germany as a referring to a strong or tough individual.
Today, the name Hördel is widely distributed throughout Europe and beyond. It is still most common in the regions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland that border the upper Main river, but is also well established in other parts of Europe and in parts of the United States.
Variations of the surname Hördel
The surname Hördel is of German origin, and can be spelt in a few different versions. In its country of origin, the surname can be spelled Hördel, Hoerdle and Hörtle. It can also be written as Hurdle, Herdle, Hirdle and Herdelt. The originally spellings of Hördel or Hörtle are often found in German records, while the other spellings are more likely to be found in other countries.
The origin of this surname is the German word "hör" which means 'hoary', or grey. It could then be derived from the German compound noun 'Hördelhirsche', which means 'gentle grey buck'.
This surname can also be found in a number of variants and surnames of the same origin. In other records, it can be observed that this family name is also seen as Hoerdling, Hördling, Hertling, Hardling, Herzling, Hertlin and Hurling, all of which are derived from the original German version. Hucho and Hucht can also be seen as alternate spellings of Hördel.
Further, some inhabitants of the former German state of Prussia, located in the east of Germany, were known to adopt spellings such as Hurton and Harrison, an anglicized version of this surname. It has also been observed that some branches of this family adopted the surname Cordes or Kordes, which is thought to be a form of the word 'Kordel', a German word meaning 'string'. This could be due to the valued items the original family had in common, which may have been strings or cords.
Therefore, the surname 'Hördel' can be seen in many variations, both in terms of German spellings and English variants, as well as alternative spellings of the same origin.
Famous people with the name Hördel
- André Hördel, a German football coach.
- Jan Hördel, a former swimmer from Germany who competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
- Friedfrieda Hördel, a former German alpine skier.
- Robert Hördel, a former basketball player from Germany who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
- Christian Hördel, a German bicycle motocross (BMX) rider who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Max Hördel, a former soccer goalkeeper and one of the founding members of the VfB Stuttgart.
- Heidi Hördel, a former competitive freestyle and medley swimmer from East Germany.
- Gerd Hördel, a former German handball player who competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
- Ursula Hördel, an East German alpine skier who competed in the 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics.
- Jürgen Hördel, a former ski jumper from Germany who competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics.