# 'Hitler' as a modern surname... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341 "2005-04-27T11:28:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jimdigritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@jimdigritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimdigritz)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/1 "2005-04-27T11:28:09Z")
Does anyone have the surname ‘Hitler’ anymore? If not, did other (unfortunate) families with the surname Hitler just change their name? What about Stalin or Pinochet? Just curious… Jim ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/2 "2005-04-27T12:04:09Z")
Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter still uses the family moniker, according to [this](http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/03/19/mussolini-050319.html) story. ---
**Author:** ![Kreekurmudgeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@Kreekurmudgeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kreekurmudgeon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/3 "2005-04-27T12:48:23Z")
A quick white pages check will find you several Hitlers. Try looking before you leap. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/4 "2005-04-27T13:35:58Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > Benito Mussolini’s granddaughter still uses the family moniker, according to [this](http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/03/19/mussolini-050319.html) story. In that article, it mentions that her hunger strike included 3 cappchinos a day. :eek: Not getting the concept… ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/5 "2005-04-27T13:55:47Z")
Adolf’s half-brother (and second cousin!) Alois met an Irishwoman called Brigid Elizabeth Downey at the Dublin Horse Show in 1910 and they married the following year. A son, William Patrick, was born in Liverpool the following year. But I believe he changed his name after moving to the USA, possibly after enlisting in the US Navy in 1944. There’s some FBI Dope on this [here](http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/bridgdandwmpatrickhitler.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/6 "2005-04-27T13:59:58Z")
There’s a road outside of my town that was once Hitler Road but after WWII, they changed the name to “Histler.” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/7 "2005-04-27T14:02:47Z")
I read an interview in _The New Yorker_ maybe ten years ago with a German tour-bus driver named Adolph Hitler—distant relative, named after him during the war. He was furious with his children for changing their last names: “It’s a perfectly good, old family name and I won’t change it,” he said, though he did cover his name plate when he had a tour group from Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Eurograff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Eurograff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eurograff)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/8 "2005-04-27T14:49:18Z")
> [@jimdigritz](#): > > What about Stalin or Pinochet? > > Just curious… > > Jim Stalin was just a nom de guerre of Josif Vissarionovits Dzhugashvili, and he used many other such names during Russian revolution. The nickname Stalin, meaning “steel” (or man of steel, I’m not sure) apparently stick with him best. His descendants don’t use that surname, so there aren’t any Stalins around unless somebody else has managed to name themselves after him. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/9 "2005-04-27T14:55:53Z")
Another anecdote: There was an old, German farmer in Iowa named Adolf Hitler. During WWII a reporter asked him if he planned to change his name. He answered, “I had it first. Let the other guy change his name.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/10 "2005-04-27T15:09:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Adolf’s half-brother (and second cousin!) Alois met an Irishwoman called Brigid Elizabeth Downey at the Dublin Horse Show in 1910 and they married the following year. A son, William Patrick, was born in Liverpool the following year. But I believe he changed his name after moving to the USA, possibly after enlisting in the US Navy in 1944. I’ve read that Hitler’s closest living relatives reside in Long Island. But apparently all of the current family members are childless so this is likely to be the last generation of the direct Hitler family. ---
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/11 "2005-04-27T18:17:42Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I’ve read that Hitler’s closest living relatives reside in Long Island. But apparently all of the current family members are childless so this is likely to be the last generation of the direct Hitler family. [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050211.html](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050211.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/12 "2005-04-27T20:01:19Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Another anecdote: > > There was an old, German farmer in Iowa named Adolf Hitler. During WWII a reporter asked him if he planned to change his name. He answered, “I had it first. Let the other guy change his name.” **Michael Bolton:** Yeah, well at least your name isn’t Michael Bolton. **Samir:** You know there’s nothing wrong with that name. **Michael Bolton:** There was nothing wrong with it… until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys. **Samir:** Hmm… well why don’t you just go by Mike instead of Michael? **Michael Bolton:** No way. Why should I change? He’s the one who sucks. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/13 "2005-04-27T23:06:23Z")
> [@Eurograff](#): > > Stalin was just a nom de guerre of Josif Vissarionovits Dzhugashvili, and he used many other such names during Russian revolution. The nickname Stalin, meaning “steel” (or man of steel, I’m not sure) apparently stick with him best. His descendants don’t use that surname, so there aren’t any Stalins around unless somebody else has managed to name themselves after him. Actually his children did use Stalin as a surname. His daughter was born Svetlana Josifovna Stalina. She changed her surname to her mother’s made name, Alliluyeva, after he died. Later after she defected to the US she married for a third time and changed her name to Lana Peters. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/14 "2005-04-28T06:42:53Z")
From the Social Security Death Index: Janet S. Hitler, 1910-2005, res. Naples, Collier Co., Florida. Mazie M. Hitler, 1917-2002, res. Circleville, Pickaway Co., Ohio. Turney Guy Hitler, 1947-2001. Louis S. Hitler, 1918-1998, res. Circleville, Pickaway Co., Ohio. Verna L. Hitler, 1925-1994, res. Lakeside, San Diego Co., California. . . . and six others. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/15 "2005-04-28T13:30:25Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > In that article, it mentions that her hunger strike included 3 cappchinos a day. :eek: > Not getting the concept… I believe she skipped the cinnamon she was so fond of. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/16 "2005-04-28T18:07:33Z")
someone asked about this in response to a Cecil column not too long ago. > **[Hitler's family](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=301913)** > > http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050211.html What Cecil doesn’t mention is whether the Hitler family kept the name. It must have been pretty hard living in Long Island with that name. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/17 "2005-04-28T18:50:01Z")
Just don’t try to do standup comedy … > [@](#): > > This reminds me of a series of episodes of the early-80’s television drama Hill Street Blues. Detective J.D. LaRue, a rougish cop always looking to make a buck, discovers a comedian arrested for multiple parking violations. He loves the guy’s schtick and decides to manage him on the side. But the comic refuses, despite LaRue’s insistence, to change his name: Vic Hitler. Yes, he admits it’s not a great name to have if you’re an entertainer, but it was his family name, and he was going to proudly keep it. Eventaully, the plan fails because LaRue discovers that Vic Hitler not only has a terrible name, but he’s got a bad case of narcolepsy, which causes him to fall asleep on stage in the middle of his show. They even try to work it into promotions for the act (Now Appearing! Vic Hitler, the Narcoleptic Comedian), but the audience gets tired of a guy who gets so tired while working that he just crashes out standing up. Especially a guy named Hitler. Source: [http://attaboy.tommydoc.net/?p=217](http://attaboy.tommydoc.net/?p=217) ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/18 "2005-04-28T19:13:58Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Just don’t try to do standup comedy … Actually, from back in Scotland in the Eighties, I can remember a fairly amusing young standup comic called Craig Ferguson who used the stagename [Bing Hitler](http://fools.abc.net.au/tours/peter/fp003.htm). Always wondered what happened to him … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/19 "2005-04-28T23:07:02Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > Actually, from back in Scotland in the Eighties, I can remember a fairly amusing young standup comic called Craig Ferguson who used the stagename [Bing Hitler](http://fools.abc.net.au/tours/peter/fp003.htm). > > Always wondered what happened to him … 😉 He changed his name to Craig Kilborn. ---
**Author:** ![emily9889](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/858c86/32.png) [@emily9889](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emily9889)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341/20 "2010-12-29T18:14:26Z")
I am a Hitler, born Emily Ryan Hitler, on March 12, 1981. My family had my name changed as a child (for obvious reasons) but I have always been curious about others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-as-a-modern-surname/301341.md?page=2)