Surname Kriechbaumer - Meaning and Origin

Kriechbaumer: What does the surname Kriechbaumer mean?

The surname Kriechbaumer is of German origin and is thought to have been a locational name derived from a place in Germany bearing the same name. The name itself comes from the High German words "kriech" meaning "crawl" and "baum" meaning "tree". Combined, the surname translates to "crawling tree", a name which is thought to have originally described a small lane in which trees bent over so much as to form an arch, creating the appearance of a tree crawling along the ground.

Over time, the surname derived from the location and was given to those who had lived in or around the vicinity. As the migration of people across Europe flourished, so too did the Kriechbaumer surname spread. It is now most commonly found in Austria and Germany, with smaller numbers of families found elsewhere.

The Kriechbaumer surname appears to have originally been a habitation surname which describes the area where its original bearers could once be found. To this day, it is a reminder of the journeys taken by our ancestors and the unique stories of each family's journeys across Europe.

Kriechbaumer: Where does the name Kriechbaumer come from?

The last name Kriechbaumer (also sometimes spelled Kriechbauer) is most common in modern-day Austria, especially in the central and southeastern regions. Though historically the spelling of the name has been used in some parts of Germany, today the variant is nearly non-existent in the country.

Kriechbaumer is derived from the German words kriechen, meaning ‘creep’, or ‘crawl’, and bauer, which roughly translates to ‘farmers’ or ‘peasants.’ Thus, the name originally identified families living in rural areas who were engaged in agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

In Austria, Kriechbaumer is one of the top 100 surnames as ranked by frequency. It is particularly popular in the states of Oberösterreich, Niederösterreich, and Salzburg, where upwards of 1 in every 600 people have some variant of the name. However, it can be found across the country, as Austria has a relatively small population.

Outside of Austria, Kriechbaumer is found in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, the United States, Canada, and other countries. The name is usually spelled differently depending on the country or geographic region, since English and other languages do not necessarily pronounce the German letters correctly.

Variations of the surname Kriechbaumer

Kriechbaumer is a German surname which has various spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variations of Kriechbaumer include Kriechbaum, Kriechbauer, Kriechbouer, and Kriechbaur.

Kriechbaumer is derived from the Middle High German word kriechen, which means to “creep” or “to crawl”. Based on this, it is likely that the original bearer of the name Kriechbaumer was probably an individual whose ancestors worked in professions related to crawling or crouching, such as stonecutters, blacksmiths, or snake handlers.

Alternate spellings of Kriechbaumer include Kriefbaum, Kreiebbaum, Krieffbaum, Kreiffbaum, Kreyffbaum, Kreibbaum, Krifbaum, Kriefbouer, Kreiffbouer, Kreyffbouer, Kreibbauer, Kreiffbauer, Kreyffbauer, Krifbauer, Krichbouer, Krichbaum, and Kreichbaum.

Additional surnames of the same origin related to Kriechbaumer include Criebaum, Crieber, Criefer, Kreiger, Kreigher, Kreigler, Krieghoff, and Krieghofer.

In summary, Kriechbaumer is a German surname with many variants and spellings, all of which are related to a common origin. These surnames may have a connection to professions related to crawling and crouching, or other commonalities such as shared ancestry or areas of origin.

Famous people with the name Kriechbaumer

• Bettina Kriechbaumer: Bettina Kriechbaumer is an Austrian mountaineer who has climbed some of the world's most difficult and dangerous peaks. She is a four-time Ironman World Champion and was part of the first all-female team to climb Mont Blanc.
• Philipp Kriechbaumer: Philipp Kriechbaumer is an Austrian actor, director and playwright. He is best known for his work in the German-language theatre, and for his television roles as Paul Kriechbaumer in the comedy series 'Der Alte' and the role of Johann Schmidt in 'Das Beste'
• Ernst Kriechbaumer: Ernst Kriechbaumer was an Austrian offensiver midfielder who played for first division side Admira Wacker in the 1950s. He was part of a successful team during his time, winning the Austrian National Championship in 1957.
• Maximilian Kriechbaumer: Maximilian Kriechbaumer is an Austrian actor and cinematographer. His best known roles include Martin in the TV series 'Babylon Berlin' and Dax in the series 'Dark'.
• Lotte Kriechbaumer: Lotte Kriechbaumer is a German-Austrian entrepreneur and former ski racer. She competed in the alpine disciplines and reached her top result at the world championships of Alpine skiing in 1981.
• Kurt Kriechbaumer: Kurt Kriechbaumer was an Austrian writer and poet. His published works include 'Der poetische Weg', 'Das Schweigen des August Wohlrab', and 'Die Auswirkungen des Ersten Weltkriegs'.
• union.wald Kriechbaumer: union.wald Kriechbaumer is a German-Austrian music trio comprising of Felix Kriechbaumer (vocals, guitar, drums), Jonny Kriechbaumer (guitar, synths) and Max Kriechbaumer (bass). They are best known for their self-titled debut album released in 2019.

Other surnames

Kriechbaum