Surname Vötter - Meaning and Origin
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Vötter: What does the surname Vötter mean?
The last name Vötter is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German name Vetter, meaning “cousin.” The name can also be spelled Vetter, Vötter, or Votter. It is a status name, likely referring to a cousin by marriage, and was probably most commonly used as a surname among peasants, as the majority of commoners didn’t possess hereditary surnames in the Middle Ages.
The Vötter surname is most common in German-speaking countries and in the United States. It can also be found in Canada, Austria, and Hungary, among other countries. The surname may also be seen in the variant spellings Vetter, Vötter, and Votter.
In German, the name Vötter has a variety of different meanings. It can mean “cousin” or simply “relative.” It can also refer to a “familiar” or “close” person, or denote someone from a particular region. For instance, the surname might be associated with someone from the German states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, or Saxony.
In the United States, the name Vötter is most commonly found in Pennsylvania, particularly in the Lower Rhine and Swabia regions. It is also more common among those of German or Irish descent.
Overall, the name Vötter is derived from the Middle High German name Vetter and typically refers to a cousin or another close or familiar relative. It is most common in German-speaking countries and the United States, though it can also be seen in Canada, Austria, and Hungary.
Order DNA origin analysisVötter: Where does the name Vötter come from?
The last name Vötter is a relatively common last name in Germany today. It is also found in Switzerland, Austria, and other German-speaking parts of Central Europe.
In Germany, the last name Vötter is found primarily in the north-western region of the country, especially around Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg. The concentration of the last name decreases as you move away from this region. Vötter is also found in smaller numbers in other parts of Germany, but is much less common outside of the north-western corner.
In Switzerland, the last name is most commonly found in the eastern canton of Thurgau. Here, the last name Vötter is one of the top 100 most common names. It is also found in smaller numbers elsewhere, primarily in German-speaking cantons, such as Aargau and St. Gallen.
Austria sees a similar pattern. In the province of Vorarlberg, in the far western corner of the country, the last name Vötter is fairly common. It is also occasionally found in other parts of Austria, particularly in places with strong ties to German-speaking culture.
Overall, the last name Vötter is relatively common in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria today, but is much less common elsewhere.
Variations of the surname Vötter
The surname Vötter is of German origin, and there are several variants, spellings, and surnames with the same root.
Vötter - This is the correctly spelled version of the surname and is likely the most common form.
Voetter - This is a common spelling variant, with the ‘o’ and ‘e’ swapped.
Vottar/Votar - This spelling variant omits the umlaut (the two dots) over the ‘ö’.
Vottedt - This spelling variant changes the ‘ö’ to an ‘o’, and adds a double ‘T’ at the end.
Voter - This spelling variation further changes the ‘ö’ to an ‘o’.
Votter - Another variant, this spelling removes the umlaut and substitutes it with a second ‘t’.
Voetter - This spelling reverses the ‘o’ and ‘e’ of the original surname.
Voterl - Yet another variation which changes the vowel at the end of the surname.
Vötterer/Voterer - A variant spelling which switches the ‘o’ and ‘e’ and adds an additional letter ‘r’.
Vöter - This is the most common surname with the same root, as it removes the umlaut completely.
Vetter - This changes the ‘ö’ to an ‘e’ and removes the umlaut.
Vöhter - Another variant which changes the ‘ö’ to an ‘h’.
Votteler - This adds an additional letter ‘l’, and removes the umlaut.
Voth - This spelling removes the umlaut and replaces the ‘ö’ with a ‘h’.
While these variants and spellings of the surname may sound slightly different, all of them have the same origin and can be traced back to the same family.
Famous people with the name Vötter
- Johannes Vötter: South African footballer
- Karl Vötter: Austrian football player
- Heinrich Vötter: Austrian theater director and actor
- Ernst Vötter: Austrian operatic baritone
- Richard Vötter: Austrian Olympic swimmer
- Maria Vötter: Austrian actress
- Leo Vötter: Austrian cyclist
- Paul Vötter: Austrian cinematographer
- Karl Vötter-Lederer: Austrian Olympic fencer
- Ernst Vötter-Kraicker: Austrian gymnast