# Hitler \[commonness as a name\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 12, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185 "2010-03-12T01:07:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/1 "2010-03-12T01:07:47Z")
So… Chairmans and Revolutions aside, the name Mao is a fairly common Chinese last name, not as common as Smith, but about the same rate of occurrence as something like “Sanders” or “Anderson” in the US. Churchill is not rare either… in fact a cursory search finds thousand and thousands of people named Churchill. Housewives, accountants, and children that had no part in the great war. But what about Hitler ? Ive never hear of anyone, besides Hitler, being Hitler… Is there anyone with the last name Hitler today? if so, how common is the last name Hitler? Please note that Im NOT talking about descendents of the Hitler family… Im specifically speaking of unrelated people with the last name Hitler. Like how there’s alot of people named Mao, Churchhill, Clinton, etc that have no relationship to the iconic bearers of those names. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/2 "2010-03-12T01:12:14Z")
As I understand it, there are a lot of Germans out there with the surname Heidler or Hiedler. Some of them used to spell it “Hitler”. Adolph’s father apparently spelled it as Heidler in his younger days, but adopted the ‘Hitler’ spelling later in life. Surely someone will come along with more knowledge than I on this topic, however. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/3 "2010-03-12T01:17:09Z")
I imagine a lot of name changes took place during & after the war. It’s too bad. I would have enjoyed having a classmate named Randy Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/4 "2010-03-12T01:19:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > As I understand it, there are a lot of Germans out there with the surname Heidler or Hiedler. Some of them used to spell it “Hitler”. Adolph’s father apparently spelled it as Heidler in his younger days, but adopted the ‘Hitler’ spelling later in life. > > Surely someone will come along with more knowledge than I on this topic, however. Yeah, Im aware of that. Hiedler is fairly common and Hitler is a variant spelling in the same way that Johnston, Johnson, Jonson, Johnsten are all variant spellings. While it’s logical to assume that the surname Hitler wouldnt be too popular after the war, does it still exist? Is anyone today named Hitler? And how common is this name? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/5 "2010-03-12T01:22:36Z")
Have you tried searching some on-line phone books? I would pick a few big cities in Germany and Austria. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/6 "2010-03-12T01:24:35Z")
Related: IIRC the name Adolph (and it’s variations) were pretty popular at least in Western Europe but for obvious reasons had a bit of a decline in popularity after the war. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/7 "2010-03-12T01:26:50Z")
Meet [Vic Hitler](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Hitler), the narcoleptic comedian: > [@](#): > > Mr. Hitler … reveals that he had promised his grandfather never to forsake the family name. Vic also notes that the more famous Hitler was the son of a man originally named Schickelgruber, indicating that a perfectly good name has been spoiled. Fictional, true, but I could see such a thing happening. Absent that one would assume all Hitlers would have changed their names by now. I’d expect that Adolph would have virtually disappeared by now … indeed, a [fairly precipitous decline](http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Adolph) right around 1930. Surprisingly though > [@](#): > > Adolph is a somewhat common first name for men (#642 out of 1220) and an even more common last name for both men and women (#16658 out of 88799). (1990 U.S. Census) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/8 "2010-03-12T01:27:45Z")
It was common in the old days when people immigrated to have different spelling. My father’s name was chopped off and we spell it (ending with) ICH. But his brother spelled it “ICK” while another relative spelled it “EC” I have another aunt who has a totally different name, 'cause when she came over immigration chopped it off another way. Same with my mum’s side. Same family three different spellings in America. I’m sure after WWII anyone with a name like Hitler would change it to a variant spelling. This was common. In WWI many Braun’s became Brown and Schwarzkopfs became Blackheads ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/9 "2010-03-12T01:28:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Have you tried searching some on-line phone books? I would pick a few big cities in Germany and Austria. Good call… I searched US white pages and there are about 20 legit results of people with the last name hitler in the US. Dont know how to search german or austrian white pages though. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/10 "2010-03-12T01:28:39Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > . . . Randy Hitler. Sounds like a British porn flick for Nazi buffs. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/11 "2010-03-12T01:28:46Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > Related: IIRC the name Adolph (and it’s variations) were pretty popular at least in Western Europe but for obvious reasons had a bit of a decline in popularity after the war. Now a lot of people named Adolph just go by “Dolf” or “Dolph” ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/12 "2010-03-12T01:32:27Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Sounds like a British porn flick for Nazi buffs. There’s a fictional character called Eddie Hitler in the wonderfully violent and funny British comedy TV and theatre series **Bottom**. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/13 "2010-03-12T01:32:57Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > This was common. In WWI many Braun’s became Brown and Schwarzkopfs became Blackheads I heard of one obscure family somewhere who changed their last name to Windsor. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/14 "2010-03-12T01:45:33Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Now a lot of people named Adolph just go by “Dolf” or “Dolph” Or “Adie”, as my paternal grandmother’s cousin (who lived until about 1990) did. [This page](http://everything2.com/title/Hitler) suggests that even had Adolf not achieved notoriety, there would be few if any Hitlers around today. However, some people with the Hitler surname [moved to Ohio](http://www.wayodd.com/hitler-road-residents-want-street-name-changed/v/237/) at one time, and don’t appear to have been closely related to Der Führer. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/15 "2010-03-12T01:52:29Z")
Man, Adolf Hitler ruined so many great things. He also ruined the Hitler-'stache™, which would be a perfectly elegant and sexy way to wear your facial hair were it not for the fact that everyone would automatically associate you with him. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/16 "2010-03-12T02:01:37Z")
Edited title to better indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/17 "2010-03-12T02:04:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Edited title to better indicate subject. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Thank you. Without the bracketed phrase, this thread bode fair to be the only thread ever Godwinized before the first post! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/18 "2010-03-12T02:19:48Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I heard of one obscure family somewhere who changed their last name to Windsor. I see what you did there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/19 "2010-03-12T02:31:46Z")
Dammit, people. It’s Adolf with an F. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > Man, Adolf Hitler ruined so many great things. He also ruined the Hitler-'stache™, which would be a perfectly elegant and sexy way to wear your facial hair were it not for the fact that everyone would automatically associate you with him. Ruined for most people, [not all](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mugabe). Sure, it’s popular among dictators, but even others sport it, including two [Israeli](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshe_Sharett) [Prime Ministers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzhak_Shamir). As to the OP’s question, I don’t doubt that many neo-Nazis gave their kids Hitler as a first or middle name. [This guy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Lu_Hitler_Marak) has the name, but no such beliefs as far as we know. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185/20 "2010-03-12T03:11:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I heard of one obscure family somewhere who changed their last name to Windsor. Not to forget the Russians who changed the name of their capital form St Petersberg to Petrograd to get rid of the German “berg.” 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-commonness-as-a-name/532185.md?page=2)