Surname Kochert - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Kochert: What does the surname Kochert mean?
The last name Kochert is of German origin and is believed to be derived from the German word ‘Koch’, which means cook. It is believed to be an occupational surname that was given to a person who was a cook or an owner of a restaurant.
In the Middle Ages, many people were quite poor, and as a result, they did not have their own names. They used nicknames or surnames of their jobs or craft to denote their village or lineage. This is how the Kochert surname came to be.
It is possible that the Kochert family originated in several places in Germany as the name was used in both Prussia and Saxony. In Prussia, the Kochert family may have been related to royalty, as some of the oldest Prussian references mention a manor that belonged to a lord named Kochert. It is also possible that some of the Kochert family immigrated to America in the 18th and 19th century, as was common for many German immigrants.
In modern times, Kochert is an uncommon surname, but it still exists in an international context. There are many variations such as Koechner, Koch, Koehler, Koehn and Kohler. People who carry the last name Kochert today typically look back on their ancestry with pride, knowing that their last name comes from an occupation that was respected in the Middle Ages.
Order DNA origin analysisKochert: Where does the name Kochert come from?
The last name Kochert is most commonly found in Austria and Germany. According to the most recent census data, it is estimated that there are over 1,450 people with the last name Kochert currently living in Germany alone. The majority of Kocherts living in Germany originate from Bavaria, the largest state in the country. The surname is also common throughout Austria, especially in the regions of Carinthia, Lower Austria and Tyrol. The last name can be also found in Central and Eastern European countries such as Lithuania, Serbia, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Romania.
Outside of Europe, the surname is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia, where it was likely introduced by immigrants from Austria and Germany. The last name can also be found in Mexico, as well as in South African countries such as Zimbabwe.
Though it is impossible to trace the origin of the surname, it is believed to have first begun in Bavaria, where it was likely used to refer to copper miners and smiths. Over time, the name spread to other regions of central and eastern Europe. Today, the majority of people with the last name Kochert are likely to be descendants of those first Bavarian settlers.
Variations of the surname Kochert
Kochert is a surname of German and Swiss origin, and is derived from the term 'kocher', which refers to a metal worker or armourer. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Kochert include Koechler, Kochler, Köchler, Kocherle, Kochle, Köchle.
The surname Kochert is most commonly found in two regions of Germany, The Rhineland area of western Germany and in Pomerania in the northeast. Variations of the surname Kochert can also be found in parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary and some parts of the United States.
The German spelling of Kochert, which is Köchert, is most commonly found in the region of Pomerania. The spelling variant Kochler is found most commonly among those with Swiss ancestry. The Dutch variant of Kochert is usually spelled Koechler. In Poland, Hungary and Slovenia the German-based variant Köchler is most common.
Variations in spelling and pronunciation can in part be attributed to the fact that German-based words were transcribed and transliterated phonetically to other countries when the Kochert surname arrived in other countries in Europe.
In the United States, Kochert is the most commonly found variation, with Koechler, Kochler, Köchler and Kokler as other common variants. The combination of name variants and alternating regions of origin has led to a very diverse set of surnames related to the Kochert surname.
Famous people with the name Kochert
- Kathy Kochert: well known British artist and master level potter
- Pat Kochert: former Major League Baseball catcher
- Bob Kochert: retired National Football League coach
- Michael Kochert: American writer and composer
- David Kochert: prominent playwright and screenwriter
- Barbara Kochert: Former Member of the Swiss National Council
- Stephen Kochert: Historian and Creator of the Kochert Archives Project
- Evelyn Kochert: notable American political activist
- Steven Kochert: notable American television producer
- Alexandra Kochert: famous Austrian-American photographer and designer