Show ContentsLohner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Lohner is derived from the Middle and High German word lechenäre which means the holder of a Lehnbauernhofs or farmhouses, from the German words fief or lehn. The name is Upper German, or in German Oberdeutsch. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been a Jewish name. In this case, the name was an occupational name for a banker, pawnbroker or usurer, and was sometimes adopted as an equivalent of the name Levi.

Early Origins of the Lohner family

The surname Lohner was first found in Southern Germany, northern and central Switzerland and Austria. 1 Branches of the family were later found in Schiedam in the Netherlands, Tyrol in Austria and Ratisbona, Germany.

Early History of the Lohner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lohner research. The years 1553 and 1606 are included under the topic Early Lohner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lohner Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Lohner include Lenher, Lechner, Lecner, Lohner and others.

Early Notables of the Lohner family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Lohner were Leonhard (Leonard) Lechner (c. 1553-1606), a German composer, kapellmeister, tenor and music editor who was taught by Orlando de...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lohner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Lohner migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Lohner were

Lohner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Friederich Lohner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1740 2
  • Joh Nicklaus Lohner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
Lohner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jacob Lohner, aged 34, who arrived in New York, NY in 1874 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Lohner (post 1700) +

  • Helmuth Lohner (1933-2015), Austrian actor and theatre director


  1. Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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