Surname Dorfer - Meaning and Origin

Dorfer: What does the surname Dorfer mean?

The surname Dorfer is of German origin, first appearing in Medieval Bavaria. It is believed to have two separate origins.

The first is from the Middle German word dorf, which means ‘village’, or ‘the one who comes from the village’. Thus, the original bearer of the Dorfer surname could have lived in or hailed from a village, and subsequent generations then took the surname as their own.

The second origin of the name is from the term dorfer, which means ‘shield maker’. The shield maker occupation was one of the many specialized crafts during the Middle Ages. It was a dangerous job as metal shields had to be heated and hammered into shape, and a thick skin was inherited by those who had the profession of shield maker. It is believed that the Dorfer surname then originated from someone having held this occupation.

Today, Dorfer is a rare surname found mainly in the Bavarian region of Germany. However, many bearers of the name have since spread to other parts of the world and the name may now be seen in various other countries.

Dorfer: Where does the name Dorfer come from?

The last name Dorfer is most common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, in Germany, the last name Dorfer is the 5,887th most common name, with a little over 11,000 people having it. In Austria, it is the 4,828th most common name, with a little over 2,500 people having it. In Switzerland its 2,304th most common last name, with a little over 1,500 people having it. Outside of these countries, the last name Dorfer appears less frequently. In the United States, the name is not common at all, currently appearing on the Social Security Administration’s list of the least commonly used names in the country. In Canada, only a few dozen people have the last name, and in the United Kingdom, it appears only rarely. It appears most often in areas with strong German immigration influences, such as Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, but even then it is not among the most common names.

Summing up, the last name Dorfer is most commonly encountered in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but is relatively uncommon outside of these countries.

Variations of the surname Dorfer

The surname Dorfer is of German origin. The meaning of the name is “villager/town dweller”. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the Dorfer surname include Dörf, Dorff, Dörffer, Dorfler, and Dörfler, and such German surnames as Dorland, Dörrill, and Törpfer.

Törpfers is considered to be a variant of the Dorfer name, as it is derived from the German "dorfer," which means "villager" or "town dweller". It is also sometimes recorded as "Dorp" or "Dorfer." Derived from the Middle High German language, the Dorfer surname is said to be a regional one, most likely originating in the area of Bavaria in southern Germany.

The Törpfers surname is also derived from the German word "dorf," but it is more commonly found in areas of North Germany and Switzerland. A variant in East Germany is the Dörfers surname, which is more closely related to names such as Dorfel, Dorff and Dörffel. It is also known to be used in parts of Austria as Dörfl or Dorfl.

Finally, the Dorland surname is an alternate form of the Dorfer name, with its roots being more specifically from the north German region of the country. The original spellings of the name have been recorded as “Dür,” “Dor,” “Dore,” and “Dorel.” This accounts for some of the various spellings of the surname which have been interchangeable throughout the years.

Famous people with the name Dorfer

• Helge Dorfer: Austrian composer and writer of musicals.
• Gottfried Dorfer: Austrian composer, conductor, and pianist.
• Johann Dorfer: Austrian actor and director.
• Fritz Dorfer: Austrian biologist and professor at the University of Vienna.
• Renate Dorfer: Austrian actress.
• Friedrich Dorfer: Austrian painter and graphic artist.
• Johannes Dorfer: Austrian author and professor of philosophy at the University of Vienna.
• Karl Dorfer: Austrian painter and illustrator.
• Josef Dorfer: Austrian composer and director of several leading Austrian symphonic orchestras.
• Stefan Dorfer: Austrian composer, conductor, and musicologist.
• Adalbert Dorfer: Austrian artist and sculptor.
• Otto-Ernst Dorfer: Austrian composer and dulcimer player.
• Günter Dorfer: Austrian actor and director.
• Manfred Dorfer: Austrian cyclist and four-time gold medalist in the Tour de France.
• Kurt Dorfer: Austrian composer and professor of music at the University of Vienna.
• Johannes Dorfer-Wachenbrunner: Austrian artist and photographer.
• Heinz Dorfer: Austrian composer, conductor, and choirmaster.
• Larissa Dorfer: Austrian singer, songwriter, and actress.
• Curt Dorfer: German actor and writer.
• Gunther Dorfer: German writer, journalist, and political scientist.

Other surnames

DörfelDörfert