Surname Föller - Meaning and Origin
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Föller: What does the surname Föller mean?
The last name Föller is of German origin and is derived from the German verb 'follen', which means 'to hop'. It is likely that the name was originally an occupational name given to someone who worked as a rabbit keeper or a forester.
The surname is most commonly found in Bavaria and Austria, but it is also seen in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. The name is also found in countries that have large German immigrant populations, such as the United States and South America.
In the United States, Föller is the 7,249th most common surname, with approximately 1,650 people bearing the name. It is the 480th most common name in Canada, with approximately 710 people bearing the name.
The name is usually spelled as Föller, though alternate spellings of the name have also been found. Alternate spellings of Föller include Foeller, Foeller, and Föler. It may also appear with the umlaut (the two dots over the letter 'o'), as Föller.
The name Föller has a proud German heritage, and is likely to have been chosen for its positive connotations of a hunter or a rabbit keeper. It still stands today as a reminder of the importance of working with nature.
Order DNA origin analysisFöller: Where does the name Föller come from?
Föller is a German surname, most commonly found today in Germany and other countries within the German-speaking region. It is also found in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Estonia, where German immigrants settled in the past.
Within Germany, the last name is most concentrated in the northern regions of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. As Germanic names are common in these regions, Föller is still relatively widespread.
Statistics from the German last name database Vornamen.net show that 800,000 people living in Germany today bear this last name. Elsewhere, the exact number of Föllers is not known, but it is likely to be significantly smaller, with only a few thousand spread across other countries in the German-speaking region.
The Föller name is strong in Europe, but there are also many other countries around the world where the name is found, due to international migration in the past and present. For example, there is a small community of Föllers in the USA, with around 550 people bearing this name living there.
Overall, today the surname Föller is mainly found in Germany and other countries in the German-speaking region, with smaller numbers spread across Europe and the wider world.
Variations of the surname Föller
The surname Föller is a variation of a German surname that derives from the Middle High German word “völlere”, which means “a dealer in animal hide”. This surname first appeared in the 13th century and is mostly found throughout Germany and Austria.
Common variants of the surname Föller are Folle, Foeller, Foeller and Völler. Alternately, the surname has also been variously spelled as Foller, Fulle, Voeller, Voyller, Fwialler, Völlerer and Fowerer.
Surnames of similar origin include Feller and Fuell. Feller is derived from the Latin word “feller”, which means “moulder”. Its variants include Forl, Fell, Feller, Fellner, Feeler, Voeller and Fuelerer. Fuell is derived from the Old German noun “fule”, which means “the people [or nation]”. Its variations are Fuells, Fulls, Full and Fell.
There are other surnames that have evolved from Föller, such as Feiler, Feeler, Faller and Vajda. Feiler is derived from the Middle High German word “feiler”, which means “the one who works with a shovel”. Its variations are Feilererer, Fillerer, Feller and Feyler. Feeler is derived from the Latin word “fellaris”, which means “a maker of hats”. Its variants are Veiller and Feyler. Faller is derived from the Middle High German word “fanaler”, which means “the one who works with a trowel”. Variations are Fanalerer and Fanalier. Vajda is derived from the Hungarian word “vájda”, which means “woodman”. Its variants are Vaid and Vayda.
Famous people with the name Föller
- Bernhard Föller: German actor best known for his roles in films like Downfall and The Reader
- Johannes Föller: German football player who currently plays for SV Waldhof Mannheim
- Reinhard Föller: German actor best known for his roles in films like Manta, Manta and Salto Mortale
- Caroline Föller: German writer and historian
- Lina Föller: German actress best known for her roles in films like Wilsberg: Die Spur ins Nichts and Anne's Journey
- Niklas Föller: German footballer who currently plays for FC Hansa Rostock
- Emil Föller: German explorer and ethnologist best known for his studies of the Amazon rainforest and the indigenous populations that live there
- Kirsten Föller: German singer and songwriter whose debut album was nominated for two ECHO Awards
- Ralf Föller: German footballer who currently plays for VfR Aalen
- Axel Föller: German politician and former Member of the Bundestag