Surname Hau - Meaning and Origin
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Hau: What does the surname Hau mean?
The last name Hau is of German origin, and is believed to have derived from the Middle German word "hauen," which means "to cut or chop down." The name may have referred to someone who was a woodcutter or to a landlord who collected taxes from tenants working in the wood.
The name Hau is believed to have originated from the area around Germany's Rhine River. It is likely that the name is derived from an ancestor who lived near either the city of Mainz or one of the other towns that were along the main road in that region.
In addition to being found as a surname, the word "hauen" is still a common term in German. This suggests that the family may have been part of a larger community whose primary business was related to woodcutting, and may even have had a particular type of profession associated with it.
In modern times, the Hau family name has come to represent a distinct German heritage based in both great generational wealth and success as well as a strong sense of community and connection. These core values are still strongly held to this day, and have helped Hau family members become successful members of society all around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisHau: Where does the name Hau come from?
The surname Hau is most commonly found in Germany and the Scandinavian countries. It is an occupational name, derived from the Middle German word "Houwe", meaning a small farmer or peasant. The surname is also linked to various place names throughout Germany and Scandinavia, indicating the surname's prevalence in the region over time.
There are also numerous variants of the name, often found with slight spelling variations such as Hause, Haus, Hauer, and House. The name is also quite common among African-German families, as many of them were given the name after their ancestors had immigrated from Africa. The name is still quite common today in select parts of Germany, particularly in Lower Saxony and Bavaria.
Additionally, the name is often encountered in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as many families emigrated during the 18th and 19th centuries in search of better opportunities. Thus, while the surname is most prevalent throughout Germany and Scandinavia, it can also be found scattered throughout the world among descendants of those who left their homeland in search of a new life.
Variations of the surname Hau
The surname Hau is most commonly found in different countries such as Norway, the Faroe Islands, Finland, and Sweden. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Hau include Haugen, Haug, Hog, Haugstad, Haue, Houg, and Hauenstein.
Hau is a German, Dutch, or Scandinavian patronymic surname typically derived from the masculine personal name 'Hau' or 'Hav'. The name derives from the Old Norse 'haugr' which means ‘hill’. In Scandinavian countries this name was used as a personal name and it was the name of kings in the 10th and 11th centuries in Norway.
In Norway, Hau is the sixth-most-common surname, and is most common in the region of Vestlandet in western Norway. In the Faroe Islands, Hau is the fifth-most-common surname. In Finland, Hautala is the 30th-most-common surname, and in Sweden, Hauge is the 144th-most-common surname.
Variants of the surname Hau include:
Hauen / Haue (Norway) – 'hau' means ‘hill’.
Haug / Hog (Norway) – from the Old Norse ‘haugur’ which means ‘grove’.
Haugstad (Norway) – 'haugr' means ‘hill’ and 'stad' means ‘place’.
Hauge (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) – from the Old Norse ‘haugr’ which means ‘hill’.
Houg (Norway) – from the Old Norse ‘haugur’ which means ‘grove’.
Hauenstein (Germany, Denmark) – from the Old Norse ‘haugr’ which means ‘hill’ and ‘steinr’ which means ‘stone’.
Hautala (Finland) – from the Old Norse ‘haug’ which means ‘hill’ and 'thal' which means ‘valley’.
Overall, Hau is a Scandinavian patronymic surname that has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, most commonly found in Norway, the Faroe Islands, Finland, and Sweden. Many of the variants are derived from the Old Norse words ‘haugr’ and ‘haugur’ which mean ‘hill’ and ‘grove’, respectively.
Famous people with the name Hau
- Landon Hau: Tag team wrestler
- Marny Hau: Professional tennis player
- Simon Hau: Professional basketball player
- Esther Hau: Chinese actress
- Richard Hau: German professional football player
- Richard Hau: Film director
- Kurt Hau: Professional race car driver
- Fritz Hau: Austrian triathlete
- Michael Hau: Professional golfer
- Rebecca Hau: Singer and songwriter
- Fred Hau: New Zealand rugby player
- Bo Hau: American football player
- Poyun Hau: Taiwanese singer and actor
- Jacky Hau: Chinese basketball player
- Roy Hau: Norwegian singer and songwriter
- John Hau: Hong Kong actor and singer
- Steve Hau: Tennis professional
- Phoebe Hau: Contemporary dancer
- Kenneth Hau: Hong Kong singer and actor
- Gus Hau: Professional snowboarder