Surname Klein-Kathöfer - Meaning and Origin
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Klein-Kathöfer: What does the surname Klein-Kathöfer mean?
The German surname Klein-Kathöfer is a combination of two distinct surnames: Klein and Kathöfer. According to Dictionary of American Family Names, Klein is the German word for “small” and, as a surname, is likely derived from the phrase “der Kleine,” meaning “the small one.” This term was likely used to distinguish a short person, or to differentiate members of the same family, and eventually began to be used as a surname.
The second part of the surname, “Kathöfer,” is derived from a combination of two words: “Kath” and “Höfer.” The former is derived from the Latin term “catholicus,” meaning “general,” and the latter from the German term “Hofer,” meaning “farmer.” Together, they refer to someone who is a farmer of “general” means.
The combination of these two surnames would suggest that originally, the bearer was either a “small” farmer or one of general means yet possessed some small holding within the community. Depending on the location of the family, they may also have signified a family that was smaller in stature than most inside the community.
Klein-Kathöfer is therefore an apt surname for the individuals or families who held a once somewhat ambiguous role in the rural community. Despite the ambiguity, the surname still likely carried a certain amount of prestige due to the communities’ reverence for “the small one” of general means.
Order DNA origin analysisKlein-Kathöfer: Where does the name Klein-Kathöfer come from?
The last name Klein-Kathöfer is most commonly found in Germany today. It is one of many surnames that have a regional origin in a particular area of Germany. It is especially common in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg. The Klein-Kathöfer last name is derived from a tiny village in the area known as Wyhl, which is part of the Rhine-Neckar Region. It was first recorded in the early 16th century when several families, bearing the name Klein-Kathöfer, were recorded in the area of Wyhl. The last name has been passed down from generation to generation, allowing it to remain popular in this region for hundreds of years.
The last name received another boost in popularity in the 18th century when many families of Klein-Kathöfer left the tiny village of Wyhl to migrate west, into the newly formed Kingdom of Prussia. While a few of these families migrated elsewhere, most stayed in Germany, continuing to grow the Klein-Kathöfer population. Then, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, waves of German immigrants from the Rhine-Neckar Region migrated to the United States, bringing the Klein-Kathöfer last name with them.
Today, people with the Klein-Kathöfer last name can be found in the United States, Germany, and other parts of Europe, particularly in countries with significant German populations. However, it is most commonly found in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg, located in southwestern Germany, as well as in areas with large German-American populations.
Variations of the surname Klein-Kathöfer
The surname Klein-Kathöfer has two different slight variations; the common spellings are Klein-Kathofer OR Klein-Kathoefer. The variants of this name are Klain-Kathöfer, Klain-Kathofer, Klain-Kathoefer and Kleinkathöfer.
The family who bears this name originally hailed from Germany and it is thought to be of German Jewish origin. The spelling of this surname was likely influenced by its Jewish roots and is thought to be derived from two Third Estate titles, "Klein" (small) and "Kathöfer" (a term for village administrator). It is believed that it was used by a farming family who owned and managed land in the Third Estate system!
The surname Klein-Kathöfer has been happen to transform through various periods of time. There are records of this surname having been spelled as Calder, Cialer, Kaller, Kalter, Kalder, Kieler, and Kaier. It has also been seen to transform into other spellings like Kaller, Kaler, Köller, and Kailler– through different forms of dialect and also regional variation.
Klein-Kathöfer has been found to appear in the United States of America as well, as descendants of this family have immigrated there throughout the years. In the USA the surnames that are related to this are: Kleinkohl, Klinesmith, Klink and Kleinkopf, which can be seen as variations of Klein-Kathöfer.
Therefore, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Klein-Kathöfer are Klain-Kathöfer, Klain-Kathofer, Klain-Kathoefer, Kleinkathöfer, Calder, Cialer, Kaller, Kalter, Kalder, Kieler, Kaier, Kaller, Kaler, Köller, Kailler, Kleinkohl, Klinesmith, Klink and Kleinkopf.
Famous people with the name Klein-Kathöfer
- Thomas Klein-Kathöfer: German businessman and owner of the $700-million sale company KK Holding, founding partner of the German investment company KK Vermögensverwaltung.
- Peter Klein-Kathöfer: German businessman and co-owner, along with his brother Thomas Klein-Kathöfer, of the $700-million sale company KK Holding.
- Martin Klein-Kathöfer: German film director and producer, nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his film Hotcourses.
- Christoph Klein-Kathöfer: German entrepreneur, engineer and computer scientist.
- Barbara Klein-Kathöfer: German author and blogger, specializing in sustainable business and green investing.
- Uwe Klein-Kathöfer: German film producer, whose notable credits include Blameless Autopilot.
- Karla Klein-Kathöfer: German social entrepreneur and investor, founder of Impact Ventures, which focuses on social entrepreneurship and investing in high growth, low-income markets.
- Manfred Klein-Kathöfer: German physicist, specializing in the fields of optics and solar cells.
- Gernot Klein-Kathöfer: German lawyer, specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
- Joerg Klein-Kathöfer: German entrepreneur and professional MEP (Member of European Parliament).