Surname Oberföll - Meaning and Origin
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Oberföll: What does the surname Oberföll mean?
The last name Oberföll is a rare German surname derived from a combination of two words: Ober, which means "high" or "superior," and Föll, which is derived from Füllen, meaning "colt." The combination of these two words likely has roots in horse breeding and gives the name the literal translation of "superior colt."
This is an old German name that originated in the Middle Ages, most likely in the area surrounding the Rhine River in southern Germany. It is thought that the name was given to an ancestor who was responsible for breeding horses, or who had a particular talent for training and caring for horses. The name Oberföll was likely adopted as a surname to distinguish a family from other families with the same trade or livelihood.
The Oberföll surname originated at a time when the Rhine River was the most important commercial highway in the region. This meant that horses were in high demand since they served an essential role in transportation during this era. As the breeders and trainers of horses, the Oberföll family must have held an important position in the local economy.
Today, those bearing the Oberföll surname are spread throughout Germany and other countries as a result of emigration and population growth. The majority of people with the last name are still located in Germany, and the area near the Rhine River remains the most popular place to find members of the Oberföll family. These individuals often still have a strong connection to horses given the history and origins of the surname.
Order DNA origin analysisOberföll: Where does the name Oberföll come from?
The last name Oberföll is most commonly found today in German-speaking countries, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name originated as a German occupational surname, derived from the Old German “ōbarvalandhēre” meaning “over-protector.” As an occupational name, it likely referred to a person responsible for environmental or civil protection, such as a park ranger, a game warden, a forest guard, or a bailiff.
The surname is fairly common in the German-speaking countries, ranking among the top 1000 surnames in the region. In Germany, it ranks as the 801st most common last name based on 2007 data from the German Federal Office of Statistics. Similarly, in Austria, Oberföll was the 748th most common last name in 2007. Additionally, the name Oberföll appears on a list of “prominent” German-language surnames compiled by the official Genealogy Society of Germany.
Outside of the German-speaking world, the last name Oberföll is considerably less common. In America, for example, the name is virtually unheard of. Based on U.S. census data from 2000, there were fewer than 50 people with the surname Oberföll in the entire country. Similarly, the last name Oberföll appears to have little presence in other non-German-speaking European countries.
In summary, the last name Oberföll is most common today in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and is seen to a lesser extent in other German-speaking countries. Outside of these countries, the last name Oberföll is considerably less common, with fewer than 50 individuals having the surname in the United States, according to 2000 census data.
Variations of the surname Oberföll
The surname Oberföll is believed to originate from a place name in Germany, near the Swiss border. It is derived from the German words “Oberer”, which translates to "upper" or “higher up”, and “Föll” meaning “spring” or “stream”.
The surnames Oberföll, Oberfoell, Oberfall, Oberfaller, Oberfull, Oberfuell, Oberfell, Oberfuehl, Oberfuehle, Oberfellen, and Oberfuehler are all variants of the same origin.
Oberföll is also sometimes spelled with an umlaut, as Oberföll, making it an even rarer possibility.
There may also be other spellings due to regional variation in spelling conventions and pronunciations as the surname spread from its place of origin. In addition, some people may have adopted slightly modified versions of other sentence endings such as Oberföllen, Oberfoll, Ober Feld, Oberfeller, Oberfohlen, and Oberfeeler.
Furthermore, the same surname may have different endings depending on the gender of the family member listed. For example, Oberfölls (s) may refer to a family member of the male gender and Oberföllin (in) may refer to a female family member.
Finally, the surnames Oberföll and Oberfüll may be combined to create a new surnames such as Oberföllfüll, Oberföllfuhl, Oberfullfuhl, Oberfullfuehler, Oberfueller, and Oberfellfuhl. These surnames may be used in different parts of the world to further differentiate a family’s history from someone else who has the same name.
In conclusion, the surname Oberföll is an old German surname with a variety of spellings and diminutives. It is derived from the words oberer (“upper”) and Föll (“spring”), and has variants such as Oberfoell, Oberfaller, Oberfull, Oberfuell, Oberfell, Oberfuehl, Oberfuehle, Oberfellen, and Oberfuehler. It may also be spelled with an umlaut as Oberföll, and some families may have spelled the surname differently due to regional variations in the pronunciation.
Famous people with the name Oberföll
- Terence Oberföll: Canadian skier who competed in the 1988, 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.
- Florian Oberföll: German violinist and leader of the Camerata Salzburg.
- Michael Oberföll: German professional football player who represented the German national team and played for FC Schalke 04.
- Ludwig Oberföll: German olympic ice hockey player who represented the German national team in the 1966 and 1968 Winter Olympics.
- Johannes Oberföll: Artist and illustrator who creates artwork with a specific focus on the intersection of traditional and digital media.
- Ralf Oberföll: Former German professional tennis player who represented the German national team and competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Torsten Oberföll: German sculptor and ceramic artist who specializes in the abstract form of realism.
- Birgit Oberföll: German body builder who won the title of “Miss Figure International” in 2015 and 2016.
- Ludwig Oberföll: German physician and scientist that conducted research in the field of medical radiology.
- Wilfried Oberföll: German CEO of the replacement parts company SWD Automotive GmbH and Chairman of the supervisory board for Müller-Data GmbH.