Surname Wichtlhuber - Meaning and Origin
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Wichtlhuber: What does the surname Wichtlhuber mean?
The last name Wichtlhuber is of German origin and is derived from elements wichtel (“elfin”) and huber (“farmer”). It is believed the name was originally given to a small farm owner or an inhabitant of a small German farming village.
The original meaning of Wichtlhuber is likely to have been "elfin farmer" or "small farmer" and would have indicated someone of small stature involved in farming activities. It is perhaps once a nickname for someone who was slightly elfish or mischievous, perhaps in jest!
The name today is usually associated with farming and agricultural activities, often being located in German rural areas. At times, there has been a coat of arms associated with the Wichtlhuber line, with the earliest known version being seen in the 13th century.
Modern-day Wichtlhubers tend to have a strong connection with German culture. Most of them remain close to their rural origins and enjoy the close-knit community that is so characteristic of a small German farming village.
For those interested in dove-tailing names to their origin, Wichtlhuber, with its centuries of story-telling, is a good candidate for exploration. The origin of the name tells us about the connection with small-holder farming activities and the strong connection with German culture and origins - evidence that the Wichtlhuber line has stood the test of time and thrived.
Order DNA origin analysisWichtlhuber: Where does the name Wichtlhuber come from?
The last name Wichtlhuber is most commonly found in Germany, where it ranked 859th in popularity in 2020 according to The Geneanet Dictionnary of Surnames. Of the many towns and cities that have at least one resident bearing this name, most are located along a collection of mountainous regions in the southern part of the country. This includes Bavaria, Tyrol, Salzburg, and Upper Austria, where the majority of Wichtlhubers live today.
Outside of Germany, however, this surname is still relatively rare. One of the most prominent Wichtlhubers lives in the United States, where he immigrated and gained notoriety as a renowned professor at the University of Michigan. There are also a few known family members in Australia, as well as some in Austria and Hungary.
In recent years, the number of Wichtlhubers residing in Germany has dwindled; however, the name is still preserved by many descendants of the original surname holders. It is likely that this trend will continue as more and more individuals move away from rural mountain regions and into larger city centres, but the name is likely to remain strong in its home country for many years to come.
Variations of the surname Wichtlhuber
The surname Wichtlhuber is a German patronymic surname that has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Variants of Wichtlhuber include Wichtelhüber, Wickelhüber, Wickelhübler, Wickelhöber, Wickelhöbler, and Wichtlehüber.
Other spellings of the same surname include Wikatluber, Witlhuber, Wichtlhüber, Wichelehüber, Wichelhüber, Wychlybe, Vychtlebubl, Wicklhuber, Wittelhüber, and Wuchtlhuber.
Surnames of the same origin include Wickel, Wuckel, Wikkel, Wickelmeier, Wichtel, Wickele, Wicklein, Wichelhausen, Wychtel, Wickelhofer, Wickels, and Wychelman.
These variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin indicate that the ancestor of the Wichtlhuber family was once known by a different spelling or word. Over time, this ancestor's name likely changed, resulting in the variants and surnames of the same origin for the Wichtlhuber surname.
Famous people with the name Wichtlhuber
- Franz Wichtlhuber; a former German footballer who played as a midfielder for 1.FC Nürnberg and 1.FC Kaiserslautern.
- Maria Wichtlhuber; an Austrian-born German artist, associated with expressionism and constructivism in the Darmstadt School.
- Stanislaus Wichtlhuber; a prolific Austrian-born producer best known for producing films like Maladolescenza (1977) and Florence Foster Jenkins (2016).
- Thomas Wichtlhuber; an Austrian ski mountaineer and former downhill skier who won several titles at the 2000 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
- Ludwig Wichtlhuber; a German art dealer and gallery owner, best known for representing artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Max Beckmann.
- Karl Wichtlhuber; a retired German footballer who played for Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart during his career.
- Richard Wichtlhuber; a retired German professional footballer who most recently played for SpVgg Blau-Weiß Dorfkempten.
- Helmut Wichtlhuber; a German composer, best known for writing works such as the operas Don Quixote, Der Wildschütz, and Der Kuckuck und die Nachtigall.
- Herbert Wichtlhuber; a former Austrian slalom canoeist who competed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, winning a gold medal at the 1956 European Championships in Vienna.
- Andreas Wichtlhuber; a retired German footballer who enjoyed stints in the 2. Bundesliga, Ostschweizer Fussballverband, and Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar.