Surname Krahfuß - Meaning and Origin
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Krahfuß: What does the surname Krahfuß mean?
The last name Krahfuß is of German origin and is derived from the word ‘krahfe’ which means ‘raven’. It typically referred to someone who lived near a raven population or who had a raven as a pet. As a surname it was likely given to a person who was associated with or was a caretaker of a Raven flock. It could also have been taken by someone who admired the bird and chose to make a surname out of it.
The name may first have appeared in the area that is now Germany in the late medieval period. It is likely that the family who had the surname were from this area and subsequent generations spread with the family in the ensuing years. It is possible that they spread throughout a variety of regions.
Krahfuß is usually translated as “raven’s foot” from the modern German language. It could also be translated as “Owl foot” as the German word for Raven also means Owl in some dialects. Due to the shape of the Raven’s foot, the name has earned this translation.
The name is now common in many countries throughout Europe, as well as in the United States and Australia. It is also used as a first name in some families, but is not as common as when used as a surname.
These days Krahfuß is mainly seen as a surname, though its origins and meaning still remain relevant and quite interesting. In modern day Germany, it may still serve to provide insight into a family’s past, noting that they came from a long line of folks who admired and cared for Ravens.
Order DNA origin analysisKrahfuß: Where does the name Krahfuß come from?
The surname Krahfuß is most common today in Germany and surrounding countries. It was first found in the Rhineland, where the family was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area.
A 2013 study of German surnames found that Krahfuß was the 611th most common last name in Germany with 370 individuals carrying the name. Approximately 70% are located in northern Baden-Württemberg and the most populous city with the name is Ettlingen in the region Karlsruhe.
In German, Krahfuß translates to mean "crown footprint". It is believed that the name originated from a person who owned and operated an inn which provided accommodations for travelers and whose sign featured a crown print. The sign was later adopted by the family as their name.
The surname is also common in Austria, Switzerland and parts of Alsace in France. In Poland and Slovakia, the variations Krzafus or Krafus have become assimilated.
In the United States, the surname is listed in the Social Security Index, but the number is small compared to its concentration in Europe. Krahfuß is found throughout the country, but is most prevalent in the Midwest and Northeast. As immigration increased in the 1900s, the name was augmented by immigrants to the states who often anglicized it to Krahfuss.
Variations of the surname Krahfuß
The surname Krahfuß is a variant of the German surname Krahfuss and can be spelled in multiple ways, including Crahfuss, Kraffuß, Craffuß, Krähfuß, and Kraffuss. Krahfuß is a toponymic surname, derived from the German language word kraf meaning a city wall or rampart.
Krahfuß is also sometimes referred to as Krehfuss or Krehfuß and, in some parts of Germany, is spelled as Kraefuß or Kräfuß. In many cases, the umlaut (the two dots) over the letter “a” is dropped or replaced with an “e”. A number of other spellings and variations have been recorded, including Kraffuss, Kräffuss, Kraffes, Kräffes, Krafuss, Kräfuss, Krafes, Kräfes, Krähfus, and Krahfuss.
Closely related surnames include Krahfuss, Krahff, Krahffer, Krahffs, and Krahfs. Krahfuß may also be an Americanized version of the German surname Krähfuß – which is common in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and parts of Austria.
The surname Krahfuß is most common in Germany and Austria today, but can also be found in other countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It is believed that the family inhabited Austria, Czechoslovakia, and other parts of Central Europe since the late Middle Ages and several branches of the Krahfuß family can be traced back to the 16th century.
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