Last Names in Austria: A Comprehensive Guide

Austria boasts a rich tapestry of last names, each reflecting the country's history, culture, and diverse influences. From ancient Germanic roots to more recent arrivals, Austrian surnames tell stories of family lineage, geographical origins, and occupational heritage. This list delves into the meanings and origins of common Austrian last names, offering insights into the country's fascinating cultural landscape.
1. **Aigner:** A person from a place named "Aigen," often a meadow or pasture.
2. **Altmann:** Old man or senior.
3. **Bauer:** Farmer.
4. **Berger:** Mountain dweller or someone who lives on a hill.
5. **Binder:** Binder, someone who binds or ties things together.
6. **Böck:** Goat or someone who keeps goats.
7. **Brandstetter:** A person who lives near a fire or a place with a fire.
8. **Breuer:** Brewer or someone who makes beer.
9. **Buchinger:** A person from a place named "Buch," meaning book or beech tree.
10. **Burger:** A citizen or resident of a town or city.
11. **Egger:** A person from a place named "Egg," meaning an egg or a meadow.
12. **Eichinger:** A person from a place named "Eichen," meaning oak trees.
13. **Fischer:** Fisherman.
14. **Fuchs:** Fox or someone who is cunning or sly.
15. **Gasser:** Someone who works with gas or someone who lives in a place with a gas spring.
16. **Geiger:** Fiddler or violinist.
17. **Gfellner:** A person from a place named "Gfell," meaning a slope or hillside.
18. **Gimpl:** A person from a place named "Gimpling," meaning a place with a narrow path.
19. **Glaser:** A person who makes glass.
20. **Gruber:** A person who lives in a groove or a hollow.
21. **Hager:** Someone who lives in a place with a hedge or a fence.
22. **Haider:** A person from a place named "Heide," meaning heath or moorland.
23. **Hofer:** A person from a place named "Hof," meaning a farm or courtyard.
24. **Holzer:** A person who lives in a wooded area or works with wood.
25. **Jäger:** Hunter.
26. **Kainz:** A person from a place named "Kainz," meaning a place with a brook or stream.
27. **Kaser:** A person from a place named "Kas," meaning a cheese or a cheesemaker.
28. **Keil:** A person from a place named "Keil," meaning a wedge or a triangular shape.
29. **Kirchdorfer:** A person who lives in a place named "Kirchdorf," meaning a church village.
30. **Klinger:** A person who makes or sells bells.
31. **Koch:** Cook or chef.
32. **Kopf:** Head.
33. **Koller:** A person who lives in a place with a hill or a knoll.
34. **Kraft:** Power or strength.
35. **Kranz:** A person from a place named "Kranz," meaning a wreath or a garland.
36. **Krieger:** Warrior or soldier.
37. **Leitner:** A person from a place named "Leiten," meaning a slope or a hillside.
38. **Lenz:** Spring or springtime.
39. **Liebl:** A person from a place named "Lieb," meaning love or dear.
40. **Maier:** A person from a place named "Mai," meaning May or a meadow.
41. **Mayer:** A person from a place named "Mayr," meaning a meadow.
42. **Meier:** A person who manages a farm or an estate.
43. **Moser:** A person from a place named "Mos," meaning a moor or a swamp.
44. **Müller:** Miller or someone who works with flour.
45. **Neumayer:** A person from a place named "Neumay," meaning a new meadow.
46. **Oberhuber:** Someone who lives in a place above a hill or a knoll.
47. **Ortner:** A person from a place named "Ort," meaning a place or a location.
48. **Pacher:** A person from a place named "Pach," meaning a lease or a tenancy.
49. **Pfleger:** Someone who takes care of something or someone.
50. **Pöschl:** A person from a place named "Pöschl," meaning a place with a ditch or a channel.
51. **Prechtl:** A person from a place named "Precht," meaning a place with a beautiful view.
52. **Probst:** A person who is a church official or a priest.
53. **Reiter:** Rider or someone who rides a horse.
54. **Rieder:** A person from a place named "Ried," meaning a meadow or a reed bed.
55. **Ritter:** Knight.
56. **Schaller:** A person who makes or plays music.
57. **Schmid:** Smith or blacksmith.
58. **Schneider:** Tailor.
59. **Schönherr:** Beautiful hero.
60. **Schuster:** Shoemaker.
61. **Schwarz:** Black.
62. **Seidl:** A person from a place named "Seidel," meaning a place with a seat or a chair.
63. **Seitz:** A person from a place named "Sitz," meaning a seat or a location.
64. **Steiner:** A person from a place named "Stein," meaning a stone.
65. **Stifter:** Donor or someone who gives a gift.
66. **Stocker:** A person who lives in a place with a warehouse or a storage area.
67. **Straub:** A person from a place named "Straub," meaning a place with a bush or a thicket.
68. **Süß:** Sweet.
69. **Tischler:** Carpenter.
70. **Vogl:** Bird.
71. **Wagner:** Wagon maker.
72. **Wallner:** A person from a place named "Wall," meaning a wall or a fence.
73. **Weber:** Weaver.
74. **Weidinger:** A person from a place named "Weid," meaning a meadow or a pasture.
75. **Winkler:** A person from a place named "Winkel," meaning a corner or an angle.
76. **Wirth:** Innkeeper.
77. **Wöss:** A person from a place named "Wöss," meaning a place with a wood or a forest.
78. **Zechner:** A person from a place named "Zech," meaning a place with a tithe or a tax.
79. **Zimmermann:** Carpenter or someone who builds houses.
80. **Zollner:** A person who works in customs or a toll collector.