Surname Hörndl - Meaning and Origin

Hörndl: What does the surname Hörndl mean?

The last name Hörndl has Germanic origins and likely derives from the Middle High German word “hrinduol”, which was an occupational surname that denoted a person who made horns. Horns, also called buckehorns, were a popular craft item for decorative use, made from the horns of elks, oxen, bulls, and other animals.

The surname eventually became associated with the expression “Herdel”, which was a nickname used to refer to people who had horns, either due to birth defects or as a sign of respect. Today, it is used as a family name in various countries around the world, including Austria, Germany, and the United States.

In some cultures, Hörndl can be seen as a positive sign, symbolizing fertility and strength, while in others, it can be seen as a symbol of wildness and rebelliousness. In the Austrian language, the name can be broken down into two elements: “Horn” (which means horns or antlers) and “Dl” (which is an abbreviation for “derle”, meaning “to make”).

In modern times, the last name Hörndl can be found amongst people of different nationalities and creeds. It can also be an interesting choice for parents looking to choose a unique name for their child, as it offers a nod to centuries of cultural and historical heritage.

Hörndl: Where does the name Hörndl come from?

The last name Hörndl is most commonly found in Germany today. In fact, Germany accounts for over 90 percent of all individuals with this last name in the world.

The Hörndl name originates from Bavaria in the south of Germany. Specifically, it originates from the city of Landshut in the southeastern area of Bavaria. The name is thought to have derived from an occupational name for someone who worked in a brewery, a brewer, but more research is needed to fully confirm this origin.

In the modern day, there are still quite a few Hörndl families located in Landshut, as well as nearby towns and cities such as Munich, Augsburg, and Nuremberg.

Outside of Germany, it’s not as common to encounter this last name, but there are still individuals and families with the name living in Austria, Switzerland, and the United States, for example.

The name has also spread to places such as Canada, Australia, and Brazil. Although, these countries have much lower numbers of appearanes of the name compared to Germany.

Overall, the last name Hörndl is most common today in Germany where it originated. This is not completely surprising considering the long history of this name in the region. Although, it is also found in other parts of the world, and its geographical reach is only expected to expand further in the years to come.

Variations of the surname Hörndl

Hörndl is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word “Hurn” meaning “a corner”. There are a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Hörndl including Hornle, Hornel, Horndl, Horndel, Hornlay, Hornlea, Hornli, Hornlie, Hornly and Hornl.

Hornle is a variant of the surname that dates back to the early fifteenth century. During the 1400s, Hornles were prominent in Western Switzerland. During this time, Hornles held a variety of important roles in varies locations from being church officials and leaders of large towns to members of the aristocracy.

Hornel is a variant of the surname found all over Germany as early as the 1700s. Hornles were often merchants, farmers and traders in the origial German settlements. The variant of the name is also found in France in the northeastern region.

Horndl is a variant of the surname found mainly in Germany and Austria. This variant dates back to the 1500s and can still be found in the two countries today. It is likely they were connected to the aforementioned Hornles and Hornels in navigation and trading.

Hornelay is a variant found mainly in England in the 1600s and is still found in the country today. The English Hornelays were likely related to German Hornelay immigrants dating back to the same time period.

Hornlea is a variant of the surname found primarily in Eastern Germany, especially around western and central Saxony. They would form a prominent part of the German population of the region from the 1500s until World War 2.

The other variants, Hornli, Hornlie, Hornly are less common than those mentioned, primarily found in Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic respectively. The Hornlis mainly found at the north and south parts of the country while the Hornlies were from the north and the plural Hornlys were typical from the south of the country.

Overall, the Hörndl surname has seen many variations over the centuries that could still be found all over Europe. It has been a prominent surname throughout the continent and governments have and still record people of this surname living in their countries.

Famous people with the name Hörndl

• Manfred Hörndl: Austrian rugby player
• Hugo Hörndl: Swedish former cyclist
• Günther Hörndl: German actor
• Lina Hörndl: German film scoring mixer
• Inge Hörndl: Austrian Paralympic volleyball player
• Heinz Hörndl: Austrian sprinter
• Elfriede Hörndl: Austrian former skier
• Johannes Hörndl: Austrian Olympic discus athlete
• Hermann Hörndl: German former football player
• Tom Hörndl: Swedish fencer

Other surnames

Hörndlein