Surname Oberbacher - Meaning and Origin

Oberbacher: What does the surname Oberbacher mean?

The surname Oberbacher is german in origin and originated as a place-name. Specifically, it comes from a combination of two words; “ober”, meaning “above”, and “bach”, meaning “stream”. Therefore the surname literally translates into “above the stream”.

This type of surname, known as a locational surname, was often taken by people who left their home and moved to another town or village. This enabled them to be identified easily, and helped to distinguish them from others with the same first name.

Oberbacher is an uncommon surname, but is still carried by many people around the world. Records suggest that the surname exists predominantly in Central Europe, with record holders mainly being located in Austria and Germany. It is most likely an occupational surname, with those who bore the name being fishermen or people living near rivers and streams.

The meaning of the surname Oberbacher is reflective of both people’s former and ongoing connections to water and rivers. The idea of settling down near water implies the importance of having a sustainable, reliable source of sustenance. It speaks to the resourcefulness and strong connection that people have with the environment and nature surrounding them.

Oberbacher: Where does the name Oberbacher come from?

The last name Oberbacher is a relatively uncommon Austrian, German, and Swiss surname and is mainly found in Central Europe. It is most commonly seen in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, however it can also be found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. It is believed to be a topographic name derived from the Middle High German term “ober” meaning “over” or “upper” and “bacar” meaning “stream”.

In Austria, the Oberbacher surname has been found mainly in the Tyrol region. In Germany, it is prevalent in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate. In Switzerland, it can be found in the cantons of Zurich and Basel-Stadt. It is also frequently seen in nearby countries such as Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.

In the United States, the states with the most Oberbacher surnames are California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania. In the United Kingdom, Oberbacher is mainly concentrated in the counties of Berkshire and Surrey, and more recently Oxfordshire.

Moreover, the Oberbacher name is also present in Canada, primarily in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta. Australia, too, has seen an influx of the Oberbacher surname, with the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria having the highest concentration of Oberbacher family lines.

Though the surname is not particularly prevalent, the Oberbacher family name can be found to this day in many parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Oberbacher

The Oberbacher surname originated in Germany and has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the variants of the Oberbacher surname include Oberbecker, Oberbicher, Öberbeker, Oberbicker, Oberdecker, Oberdecher, and Oberdicker. Many of these variants are found in various forms throughout Germany, Austria, Hungary, and even in Switzerland.

The Oberbacher surname is a combination of two German words; 'Ober', meaning 'high' or 'upper', and 'Bacher', which is a variation of 'Bach', meaning 'brook'. Therefore, the literal translation of the Oberbacher name is 'the one from the higher or upper brook'.

The Oberbacher surname is also found in various Slavic countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Slovenia and Latvia by the name 'Ubracha' or 'Ubrchach'. This variant is derived from the German 'Oberbacher', but due to the vowel shifts characteristic of Slavic languages, the ending of 'acher' becomes 'acha' in the Slavic dialect.

In the Netherlands, the Oberbacher surname is found under the gui-Oberbacher or Gi-Oberbacher spelling. This spelling is a variation of the surname Gi, which originated in the Netherlands to refer to 'the countryman from the high brook'.

In addition to the various regional variants of the Oberbacher name, there are several surnames of similar origin which can be traced to the same Germanic roots. These surnames include Oberbeck, Oberbecken, Oberbecker, Oberböker, Öberth, Öberthuer, and Oberhäuer.

Famous people with the name Oberbacher

• Tom Oberbacher: an American chemist who is renowned for his research in industrial chemistry, photochemistry, marine chemistry and optical oceanography
• Wil Oberbacher: a German author, illustrator, and journalist. He is best known for his books of non-fiction on the environment
• Bruce Oberbacher: an American computer scientist and entrepreneur who built the world's first graphical user interface operating system
• Christine Oberbacher: an Austrian businesswoman and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Austrian company Conny Oberbacher GmbH, which specializes in financial engineering
• Martina Oberbacher: an Austrian snowboarder specialising in slalom and giant slalom events. She was the first Austrian woman to win an event at the FIS Snow Board World Cup
• Alois Oberbacher: an Austrian professional football manager and former player. He has managed many teams in Austria, including FC Wacker Innsbruck and Red Bull Salzburg
• Christoph Oberbacher: an Austrian cinematographer who has worked on numerous films, television series and documentaries, including The White Ribbon, Good Bye, Lenin! and Buena Vista Social Club
• Karl Oberbacher: an Austrian composer and conductor. He was a member of the Wiener Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst, and his compositions have been performed by many orchestras in Austria and abroad
• Hannes Oberbacher: an Austrian film actor and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1984 film The NeverEnding Story
• Johanna Oberbacher: an Austrian figure skater. She is a four-time Austrian national champion, and competed at five ISU Championships, most recently at the 2019 European Figure Skating Championships

Other surnames

Oberbach