Haase
A German surname most often linked to the word for “hare,” originally a nickname for someone quick or timid.
The #3,989 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 34,675 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Haase is a German surname associated with Middle High German and dialect forms of haas/hase, meaning “hare.” In surname use, this kind of animal name was often applied as a nickname—perhaps to describe someone swift, alert, shy, or otherwise hare-like. Some 19th-century writers also explored other explanations, but the hare derivation is the standard one.
History
The name is widespread in German-speaking areas, and historical references show both Haase and the shorter Hase as related forms. German surname spelling varied a good deal before standardization, so Haase often appears alongside Haas, Hase, and related variants. The surname is well established in Germany and was carried to North America through immigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century onomastic writers explicitly grouped Haase with other animal-based surnames such as Hase and Haas, reflecting a long tradition of using animal names as nicknames.
From the historical record
“FN. de Haas; Hase; Haas (die mehr süd- deutsche Form, in Wien im J. 1875 Haas 137 mal, Haase 16 mal, Hase 1 mal). Vklf. Häslein. Zss. Feldhase, Kohlhaas (Conrad dict. Kolhase 1317). Lauerhase. Schellhase. Schnuphase, Spörhase, Dagegen Knie- hose j Lederhas, Leinhaas und einige andere zu Hose.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen