Hornberger
A German surname meaning someone from a place called Hornberg, or someone associated with a “horn” mountain or ridge.
The #9,636 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,670 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hornberger is a German locational surname built from Hornberg, a place name found in several parts of the German-speaking world. The first element, horn, can mean a horn-shaped ridge, peak, or spur of land, while berg means “mountain” or “hill.” Taken together, the name most likely meant “person from Hornberg” or “one who lived by the horn-shaped mountain.”
History
Like many German surnames, Hornberger arose to identify people by their place of origin or residence. It would have been carried by families who left a settlement called Hornberg and later became hereditary as surnames stabilized. The name is most commonly associated with German and German-American lineages.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The element horn appears in many German place names, usually referring to a pointed ridge rather than a literal animal horn.