Surname Schlöhser - Meaning and Origin

Schlöhser: What does the surname Schlöhser mean?

The last name Schlöhser is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle Low German word ‘schloheser’, meaning ‘locksmith’. At the beginning of the 14th century, professional locksmiths became a necessary part of society as they were able to provide locks of various designs and sizes to those wanting to secure their belongings.

The Schlöhser surname can be seen throughout German-speaking countries such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland, as well as other countries where German immigrants settled in the 1700s and 1800s. It can also be a variation of the more commonly seen form of Schlösser, which is a distinct but related surname meaning the same thing.

Surnames expressing a profession were common in the Middle Ages as a way to distinguish one from another. The Schlöhser surname emerged during this time and continues to represent those who either have ancestors who practiced locksmithing or have connections to those with the surname.

Regardless of how long ago the birth of the Schlöhser surname was, this occupational surname is still used around the world, speaking to the importance and timelessness of the locksmithing trade.

Schlöhser: Where does the name Schlöhser come from?

The last name Schlöhser is most commonly seen today in Germany, with the highest concentrations located in Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt and the states of North Rhine Westphalia and Bavaria. The name also extends into Switzerland, Austria, and the Netherlands. It is believed to derive from a personal name of Old High German origin, ‘Sliohhar’, and may have originally been an occupational surname for tanners, hide traders, or leather workers.

The Schlöhser family first appears in records in Germany in the 16th century, with the earliest records found in the Hanover region and in Rügen, an island off the northern coast of Germany. From the 17th century onward, the name began to spread to other regions of Germany and frontier lands such as Austria and the Netherlands.

The Schlöhser family has a long history in Germany, with many members having served in the military and in public service, and it has also been associated with members of the clergy as well as musicians.

Due to their wide-reaching roots, the Schlöhser surname is still very common in Germany and other regions of Europe today. The name is most commonly seen in cities such as Berlin, Backnang, Rostock and Leipzig, as well as the German-speaking parts of Switzerland and Austria.

Variations of the surname Schlöhser

The Schlöhser surname is a German surname originating from the region near the border of Germany and Luxembourg. It is believed that the family originally came from the area near Prüm, which lies in Germany close to the border with Luxembourg. The variants and spellings of the surname are quite varied, and different parts of Germany and Germanic countries spell the name differently.

The most common variants of the surname Schlöhser are Schloesser, Shloesser and Schleser. These spellings usually interchange with one another, and it is believed that the name evolved in different areas of Germany or even other Germanic countries.

In some parts of Germany, including Northern Germany, the variant Schlöser is used, while in Austria and some other Germanic countries the variant Schleser is used as well.

There are also a number of different surnames which are believed to share the same origin as Schlöhser. These include Schönhöfer, Schönhauer, Schönhaber, Schönger, Schönberg, Schönfeld, Schöntag and Schöni.

All of these variants and surnames are believed to have the same origin, with the family tree likely stretching back to the Prüm region. It has been speculated that the variant spellings of the Schlöhser name arose from the political changes in the region and as the family's spread out, different spellings of the name evolved.

Famous people with the name Schlöhser

• Jan-Philip Schlöhser: German actor and singer
• Michael Schlöhser: German writer
• Carlos Hugo Schlöhser: German jeweller and entrepeneur
• Jakob Schlöhser: architect, designer and entrepreneur
• Stephan Schlöhser: German footballer
• Christine Schlöhser: German journalist and author
• Jens Schlöhser: German contemporary artist
• Florian Schlöhser: German computer scientist
• Hans Schlöhser: German restaurateur
• Uschi Schlöhser: German operatic soprano

Other surnames

Schlohsmacher