HORNUNG
Hornung is a surname of primarily Germanic origin, the root of which derives from the Middle-High German word hornunge, meaning “horn.” The name traditionally served as an occupational identifier for individuals engaged in the manufacture or sale of animal horns, or for musicians who played horn instruments. It may also have been used as a nickname for a person with prominent, horn‑shaped features.
The earliest recorded forms of the name in England appear as Hornig, Horning, and Hornung, with additional variants such as Hernon and Hernow. It is believed that the English spelling was influenced by a locational origin: the term Horning is associated with a place called Horning in the Fen Country, near Norwich. One theory suggests that the name denoted those who lived beside a bend in a river or at a dry tract of land in marshy surroundings. The earliest English record of the place appears as Horningga in 1020 AD, but the precise geographical context is uncertain due to significant landscape change over the centuries.
In German, the surname is typically spelt Hornung or Horning, with the latter occasionally presenting as Horninger. Historical documents refer to individuals such as Hermann Horning of Kirchberg in 1324. These locational surnames functioned as identifiers for people who had moved from their home villages to other regions, often in search of work. Many bearers migrated to London, wherein the name is recorded in parish registers at least as early as the Stuart period.
Throughout the Middle Ages, families bearing the Hornung name were documented as aristocrats and landowners across Europe, especially within what is now southern Germany, including Franconia. The family crest often features a shield bearing three red inverted horseshoes, symbolising the various branches of the family originating from a common source. The surname has remained relatively uncommon in contemporary times, yet those who carry it frequently express pride in its historical continuity.
English, German, Czech, and Hungarian records indicate that the name persists in several Central and Eastern European countries. Variants such as Horník in Czech, Hornyik in Hungarian, and Hornack in English spellings all trace back to the same root. In the United States, the name has occasionally been anglicised to Hornsby, reflecting a broader trend of modifying Germanic surnames upon immigration. In Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, the name has similarly survived in its original form amongst expatriate communities.
In modern usage, the surname Hornung remains a distinct and recognisable marker of Germanic heritage. While it is not among the most common surnames, it is reported with notable frequency in German-speaking areas such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and less frequently in countries with historic German diaspora communities, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Because of its clear occupational origin and consistent spelling across centuries, the name serves as a valuable subject for genealogical and linguistic research alike.
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Hornung in...
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There are approximately 103 people named Hornung in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around two in a million people in Britain are named Hornung.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Hornung
- E. W. Hornung - Writer (1866 to 1921)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.