Surname Körver - Meaning and Origin

Körver: What does the surname Körver mean?

The last name Körver is a Germanic ethnic surname. The origin of the name is believed to be a combination of the words “korn” and “ver”, which have two distinct meanings. The word “korn” is a metaphorical reference to grain, suggesting that the bearer of the name is a farmer or cultivator, while “Ver” is an old pre-Christian god of fertility and plenty.

Combined, Körver roughly translates to “grain guardian” or “grain keeper”. Due to its agricultural roots, the surname is most commonly found among German-speaking agricultural communities throughout Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The last name is also found among Dutch and Flemish-speaking communities in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The variant forms of Körver are Körfers, Körfer, Kohrver, Korfer, Korver, and Krafer. The last name is common throughout Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It is also notably present among expatriate German communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The last name Körver still retains its peasantry roots today, and many people with the last name can still be traced back to the original agricultural families and communities in which it originated.

Körver: Where does the name Körver come from?

The last name Körver is most commonly found in The Netherlands, particularly in the northern regions of the country. One of the areas with the highest density of Körvers is the Dutch province of Friesland, where roughly 1 in every 600 people is named Körver. The name is also quite common in the province of Groningen, where around 1 in every 1,400 people is named Körver.

The first Körvers are believed to have come from Germany, with some records indicating that the family may have originated in Thuringia or Brandenburg, two eastern German states. The name Körver could have come from the German word 'Körver', which is an obsolete term used to describe a small, rural village.

Körvers are also found in other European countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway. Over the centuries, some Körvers have emigrated to the United States and Canada, but the name remains predominantly European.

The name Körver is a patronymic surname, a type of surname derived from a person's father's given name. In the Netherlands, patronymic surnames often take the form 'Van Körver', indicating that the family descends from an ancestor named Körver. With this in mind, Körver is a surname of long heritage; its presence in the Netherlands is likely to continue for many centuries to come.

Variations of the surname Körver

The surname Körver is a German-language surname derived from the German words kör (meaning “heap” or “plywood”) and ver (meaning “guardian” or “member”). It typically refers to a person who is a member or guard of a heap.

Variants of the Körver surname include Korver, Korwer, Curver, Kurver, and Corwer (there may also be other variant spellings). The Dutch surname Korf (which may also be spelled Kof, Korff, or Korfhuis) is derived from a similar origin and is thus considered to be a variant of the Körver surname.

Surnames of similar origin to Körver include Kerwer (or Kerver), Korf (or Korff or Kof), Korfhuis, Körsten (or Köersten), Körber, Körschgen, Kergen, Kören, Kurl, and Kern.

In the United States, Körver is considered to be an Americanized form of the name due to its spelling. It is also pronounced differently than its German root form, hence the different spelling.

Famous people with the name Körver

• David Körver: Dutch entrepreneur and former owner of Mediamarkt
• Thierry Körver: Belgian football player
• Kurt Körver: Netherlands Antilles politician
• Cees Körver: Dutch Football player
• Saskia Körver: Dutch television presenter
• Jeroen Körver: Dutch football coach
• Carl Körver: Danish fencer
• Wim Körver: Dutch singer, songwriter and saxophonist
• Ad Körver: Dutch actor
• Toon Körver: Dutch artist and author
• Rik Körver: Dutch journalist
• Jack Körver: Netherlands Antilles swimmer
• Cees Körver: Dutch politician
• Agnes Körver: Dutch violinist
• Johannes Körver: Dutch composer
• Pieter Körver: Dutch ceasefire negotiator
• Marisa Körver: Dutch badminton player
• Sylvester Körver: Dutch architectural leader
• Arjen Körver: Dutch entrepreneur, and founder of Axxicom
• Piet Körver: Dutch footballer

Other surnames

Körvers