Surname Hurni - Meaning and Origin

Unveiling The Story of 'Hurni' Through iGENEA DNA Test: A Personal Journey

My experience with the iGENEA DNA test has revealed intriguing facts about my surname 'Hurni'. The results painted a vivid picture of my Swiss roots and uncharted connections with Hurnis worldwide.

U. Hurni

Hurni: What does the surname Hurni mean?

The surname Hurni is of Swiss origin and is used primarily in Switzerland. It is derived from the Old German word "hurn" meaning grain or wheat, which indicates that it was originally used to describe an individual involved in the cultivation or production of grain.

In some cases, the surname may have come about as a shortened form of the name "von Hurn", which later became Hurni in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. This form of the name is believed to have been used by some German families to signify a person from the village or area known as Hurn, which is located near the city of Zurich.

The surname Hurni is most commonly seen in areas where German is spoken, with the highest number of people with this surname living in the cantons of Zurich, Schaffhausen, Aargau, and Thurgau in Switzerland, as well as in Munich in Germany.

It is quite a rare surname across the world, with more than half of the people with the name Hurni living in Switzerland. It is also found in small pockets of the United States in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.

The surname Hurni is often used to refer to a person of good background, strong moral character, loyalty, and sincerity, who is reliable and trustworthy. In some cases, it can also represent someone who is hardworking and industrious.

Hurni: Where does the name Hurni come from?

The last name Hurni is common today in some parts of Europe, including France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. It is most frequent in Switzerland, where it was first recorded in 1281 in the city of Glarus.

In the U.S., the name is quite rare, being found mainly in Pennsylvania. The name came to the country in the 19th century, when Swiss settlers moved there.

The original bearer of the name is believed to be Hans Hurni, born in about the year 1100 in the modern-day canton of Schwyz in central Switzerland. The name may derive from Hurnier, an old German word for a hunter.

The Hurni name is known to have been spread widely in central Europe in the late Middle Ages. During that time, the region witnessed much turmoil related to the Protestant Reformation and subsequent wars and uprisings. This could explain why people bearing the name spread out widely around the continent.

The name today is most closely associated with Switzerland, and especially the canton of Glarus, and also is quite common in some other countries in the region. Outside of the European continent, the name is much less frequent. In the U.S., it is most often found in Pennsylvania, suggesting a possible connection to the Swiss settlement there in the 19th century.

Variations of the surname Hurni

The surname Hurni is derived from the Middle High German names "Horn" or "Horni". The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Horn, Horni, Horny, Horne, Hörn, Hurne, Huroni, Huronni, Hornie, and Hurüni.

Horn is a very common surname in Germany and other countries of German origin. The word “horn” means “to sound” in German. It is an occupational surname that was given to someone who made horns or horns-like objects. Another possible origin of the surname is the old German word “horn,” which means “corner.”

The spelling variants of Horn are typically Hörn or Horne in German. The variants of Horni are Horny and Horoni. The variants of Huronni are Huronni and Huronnie. The variants of Hurüni are Hurüni and Hurroni.

Horn is also a common surname in Hungary and Slovakia. The Slovak version is Huroni, the Hungarian version is Huronni, and the Slovenian version is Hurni. There is also the Slovenian native version of the surname, which is Hurnik.

In the United States, the surname Horn is often found in its original German form and is usually spelled differently than its other variants. In some cases, the spelling has been altered and changed due to accents. This is most common in southern states, where there are more people with German ancestry. For example, Horni is sometimes spelled Hoerny, and Horn is sometimes spelled Hearn.

There are many variations of the surname around the world. In France, the surname Horn is more common, and it is spelled Horne. In the Netherlands, the surname has been modified to Hoorne. In Spain, it is sometimes spelled Horne, and in Italy, it is sometimes spelled Orni. Additionally, in some countries like England, it is sometimes spelled Horizon.

Famous people with the name Hurni

• Samuel Hurni: Swiss businessman, Chairman of the company Comet Holding AG.
• Dan Hurni: award-winning American theatre director.
• Mindy Hurni: an American acting teacher and director.
• Ueli Hurni: prominent Swiss businessman and entrepreneur.
• Norman Hurni: professional ice hockey player.
• Nicolas Hurni: Swiss skier and the winner of the 2013 International Ski Mountaineering Federation World Cup.
• Kurt Hurni: Swiss alpine skier, who competed in the 1948 Winter Olympics.
• Michael Hurni: former American professional football player.
• Nicole Hurni: Canadian theater and TV actress known for roles in Into the West, Scary Movie 5, and The Grand Seduction.
• Hugo Hurni: Swiss long-distance runner and winner of the 1954 Swiss Cross Country Championships.

Other surnames

Hurney