Surname Hühnerfuß - Meaning and Origin

Hühnerfuß: What does the surname Hühnerfuß mean?

Hühnerfuß (also spelled Huehnerfuss) is a German surname. Its literal meaning is “chicken foot”, but the name was likely chosen by a family as a symbol of loyalty to the German Empire, as the Imperial Eagle was often pictured with a chicken foot.

The origin of the surname is believed to have begun around the 15th century. During that time Germany was a patchwork of local territories, and families often had to pledge allegiance to a regional leader. Pledging loyalty to a local ruler often resulted in the most devoted followers receiving a surname that was symbolically charged, and for many families Hühnerfuß was one such name.

In contemporary times, Hühnerfuß is most common as a family name in northern and central German speaking regions. Families bearing the surname are likely to have lived in those areas since the 15th century, and likely have distant ancestor that originally hail from an area of Germany now known as Lower Saxony.

It is fair to say that the Hühnerfuß family has a long and proud German heritage that has stood the test of time. Their surname has come to represent not only the unflinching loyalty of their ancestors, but also an appreciation of the German culture and values that have long been appreciated for centuries.

Hühnerfuß: Where does the name Hühnerfuß come from?

The last name Hühnerfuß (meaning ‘chicken foot’ in German) is relatively common throughout Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. It is thought to be an occupational name for a person who worked as a poultry farmer or butcher who often had to cut and sell poultry feet.

In Germany, the last name is most common is the northwestern region of Nordrhein-Westfalen. Other regions of Germany where the last name is sometimes found include Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony. In Austria and Switzerland, Hühnerfuß is found in regions near the German border such as Vorarlberg, Tirol and Valais.

In Luxembourg, the last name is relatively common in the commune of Differdange, a town near the border of Luxembourg and Germany.

Outside of Europe, the last name can be found in countries with a significant German-speaking population, such as the United States, Canada and Argentina, although there are far fewer people with the last name outside Europe than inside it.

Overall, the last name Hühnerfuß is most common in the German-speaking countries in central Europe, with a smaller presence in countries outside of Europe with a large German-speaking population.

Variations of the surname Hühnerfuß

The German surname Hühnerfuß is derived from the old Germanic honsa, meaning ‘chicken’s foot.’ It can be found in various forms and spellings all over Europe, including:

• Hoehnerfuß (Austria)

• Hehnerfuss (Germany)

• Hohnersfuß (Germany)

• Huhnfuß (Germany)

• Huhnefuss (Germany)

• Hahnfuss (Germany)

• Hoenefuss (Germany)

• Honenfuss (Germany)

• Höhnfuss (Germany)

• Hönerfuss (Germany)

• Hühnerfues (Germany, Switzerland, Austria)

• Hühnerfuss (Germany, Austria)

• Hühnerfuß (Germany, Austria)

• Hünfuss (Germany)

• Hunfuss (Germany)

• Hahnfusser (Germany)

• Hoenefus (Germany)

• Honenfues (Germany)

• Höhnfues (Germany)

• Hünterfus (Germany)

• Huhnerfuss (German-American)

• Hunerfuss (Austrian-American)

• Hønerfuß (Norway)

Other related surnames that may indicate a shared ancestor are Humpl, Huhn, Humpen, Hampp, Hahnl, Hehn, Hehle, Hahnloser, and Henle.

Most variant spellings are straightforward derivatives from the old Germanic original, often only changing the umlaut or leaving out a consonant sound. Others display German to English transliteration with the change of ‘ß’ to ‘ss’ or ‘f’ replacing ‘ph.’ As with many German surnames, the variant spellings go back to how they were written down spelling-wise, which was highly variable due to regional dialects and the variability of dialect-specific spelling conventions.

Famous people with the name Hühnerfuß

• Wolfgang Hühnerfuß: Austrian sculptor known for his large-scale outdoor sculptures.
• Peter Hühnerfuß: Austrian actor and comedian, known for his roles in films such as Welcome to the Rileys and Vienna Blood.
• Dieter Hühnerfuß: German football manager and coach.
• Peter J. Hühnerfuß: German mathematician and author of the book Galois Theory for Beginners.
• Wolfgang Hühnerfuß: German colour theorist, artist, professor of art and fashion.
• Robert Hühnerfuß: German architect and professor, known for his designs for the Mainz State Opera House and other government buildings in Mainz and Frankfurt.
• Wilhelm Hühnerfuß: German jurist and legal scholar, known for his work on civil law and international law.
• Friedrich Wilhelm Hühnerfuß: Austrian botanist and mycologist, founder of the botanical garden in Graz, Austria.
• Moritz Hühnerfuß: German composer and music professor, known for his works for stage productions such as Der Vampyr and operas such as Les Contes d'Hoffmann.
• Heinz Hühnerfuß: Former West German boxer, Olympic silver medalist, and world featherweight champion.

Other surnames

Hühnerfuhs