Please explain the surname of one of my ancestors?

CarolEKallmeyer

Johann Philipp "Höner Zu Gudanhausen"

Is "Höner" his surname; or is "Höner Zu Gudanhausen" his surname? At first I thought Höner was his surname and he was from Gudanhausen; however Zu Gudanhausen is attached to his children and grandchildren's names also. Please explain this name.

"Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VH9N-MBW : 11 February 2018), Johann Phielip Hoener Zu Guntenhausen, 03 Jun 1808; citing ; FHL microfilm 582,927

Ulrich Neitzel

@CarolEKallmeyer

Hello Carol,

The surname is Höner zu Guntenhausen. It still exists today; if you do a Google search several people with this name will come up.

Originally Höner zu Guntenhausen was the name of a farmstead in Brake near Bielefeld, Westphalia. Here is an article about the Höfe (farmsteads) in Brake (in German): https://www.heimatverein-brake.de/Brake-h-s-H.oe.fe.htm

If you search "Höner zu Guntershausen" on this webpage you will find even some photos of the Höner zu Gunterhausen farmstead. In the text it is said: "In the high Middle Ages a side yard in the size of 1 Hufe (~ 30 acres) was separated from the farm Guntemeyer. Over the centuries this side farm was to become Höner zu Guntenhausen, Brake No. 9, The Höner zu Guntenhausen had at that time to render the Guntemeyer farm a weekly compulsory service with 2 horses help or to pay 1 guilder as a substitute." 

CarolEKallmeyer

Thank you Ulrich; this explanation is most helpful. I was considering shortening this name to Höner when recording it - I will use the entire Höner zu Guntenhausen. Thank you for the extra literature also; wonderful.

Carol