Surname Luckenhuber - Meaning and Origin
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Luckenhuber: What does the surname Luckenhuber mean?
Luckenhuber is a German surname derived from the words "Lucken," meaning "lock" or "padlock," and "Huber," meaning "farmer" or "husbandman." The surname likely originated as a topographic name for a person who lived in a location with a "locked" boundary or a low door or gate where entry required a key. Later, the name developed into a metonymic occupational name for a person who was a locksmith.
During the Middle Ages, surname usage was not as common as it is today. Most people were known by their given names, with additional information -- such as occupation, parentage, location, or physical characteristics -- added to differentiate one person from another. It was also typical of people in some regions to adopt the name of the place they lived, and thus the name Luckenhuber may have originally been used by a farmer or tenant farmer who "locked in" the property belonging to his lord.
Luckenhuber is a fairly uncommon name today, and those who bear it are likely to be descended from German ancestors. The name still has the connotation of locksmith, so those with the surname may have inherited it from a craftsman ancestry. In some parts of Germany, it has also become a rather aristocratic name, perhaps because of the imagery of strength and protection provided by locks and doorways.
Order DNA origin analysisLuckenhuber: Where does the name Luckenhuber come from?
The last name Luckenhuber is common mainly in the German-speaking countries of today, namely Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is thought to have originated centuries ago in the southwestern region of Bavaria and Saxony, which is still a predominantly German-speaking area.
The Luckenhuber family name is most prevalent Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany. It is also common in other parts of Bavaria, including Berchtesgaden, Munich, Nurnberg, and Stuttgart. Across Germany itself, there are several hundred Luckenhubers living mainly in the south and east of the country, including Berlin.
In Austria, Luckenhuber is mainly located in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, and the Tyrol. The name is also found scattered in smaller numbers across the country, with a couple hundred families located in various cities. A few hundred further still live in Switzerland, mostly in Zurich and Geneva.
As one of the oldest and most common German names around, Luckenhuber is known to have reached further afield, even as far as the United States of America. But overall, the last name is mainly found in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Variations of the surname Luckenhuber
Variants, spellings, and surnames that have the same origin as Luckenhuber include:
Lückenhuber, Lukenhuber, Luckenhoefer, Luckenbacher, Lukenbacker, Lückebach, Loanbach,Lowenbach, Lonbach, Landbach, Lükenhoefer, Lükenbacher.
Luckenhuber is a very old surname that is of German origin. It is believed to have descended from a nickname that was given to someone who lived near a gap or opening in a hill. The surname means “lucky at the gap” or “lucky by the gap”. It is derived from the term “lucken” which translates to the English word “locate” or “seek.”
Other spellings of the name include Luckenbacher, Luckenhoefer and Lückebach. These variations of the name arose due to regional variations, pronunciation changes over time and clerical mistakes during record keeping.
The other surnames used interchangeably with Luckenhuber are Lowenbach, Lonbach, Landbach, Lükenhoefer and Lükenbacher. These names come from the same origin as the Luckenhuber name. The meaning is also similar—”lucky at the gap” or “lucky by the gap”—and the source is the same German word “lucken.”
All of these surnames are related to the German term “lücken” or “lucken” and have the same meaning—someone who is lucky at the gap or lucky by the gap. They are all derived from the same source and have a shared origin, making them variations of the same name.
Famous people with the name Luckenhuber
- Hans Luckenhuber (1936-2014): German painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He was a leading exponent of the abstract movement in Germany and was well-known for his murals.
- Andrys Luckenhuber (1903-1979): American artist and graphic designer. He from Antwerp, Belgium and moved to the US in 1928. He Designed numerous commercial art, and posters for Coca Cola, General Motors, Mobil Oil, and more, as well as for many films.
- Susan Luckenhuber (1934-2015): American sculptor and teacher. She was known for her lead, sheet metal and mixed media sculptures exploring issues of identity and self-expression.
- Walburga Luckenhuber (Born 1952): German politician, she was a Member of Parliament in the German Bundestag representing the Christian Democratic Union from 1976 to 1982.
- Klaus Luckenhuber (1933-2011): German actor, he was best known for his roles in the television series Ermittler im Einsatz and the films Tatort and S stage.
- Adam Luckenhuber (1885-1954): Austro-Hungarian politician, he was an architect, essayist, lawyer, and statesman. He was well-known in the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an important voice for Slavic rights.
- Reinhard Luckenhuber (1932-2010): German economist and politician, he was a member of the Free Democratic Party in the Bundestag from 1998 to 2002.
- Erich Luckenhuber (1881-1944): Austrian officer and aviator, he was a captain in the Austro-Hungarian air force and served as a test pilot.
- Felix Luckenhuber (1901-1976): German academic and professor of German literature, he was a professor at the University of Freiburg and wrote extensively on German literature and culture.
- Heinz Luckenhuber (1916-2007): German architect, he designed many important public buildings in Germany, including the City Hall in Munich.