Hohl

Hohl is a German-language term that can refer to a surname as well as to a common linguistic root meaning hollow or concave. As a word, hohl describes a hollow space or depression in the ground or landscape and is used in various compound place names and technical terms in German.

Etymology and meaning

The word derives from medieval and early Germanic roots, with the sense of a hollow or cavity in landforms. In modern German, hohl remains an adjective meaning hollow, sunken, or empty, and it appears in many geographic and descriptive phrases. It often appears in place names or descriptions of terrain that feature a natural hollow.

Surname usage

Hohl is a surname of German origin. Surnames of this kind are frequently toponymic, arising from a family’s association with a place or landscape feature described as a hollow. The name is found among German-speaking populations and their diaspora, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and has spread to other regions through migration.

Geographic and toponymic notes

Beyond personal names, Hohl occurs in geographic contexts as part of place names or descriptive terms for terrain. It may appear in compound forms that designate a hollow path, hollowed land, or similar landforms in German-speaking areas.

Related terms

Related linguistic forms include Höhle (cave) and various regional variants and compounds involving hohl. These terms reflect the same root concept of hollowed or concave features in the landscape.

Note

Because Hohl can refer to multiple topics, a specific article or context (surname, place, or linguistic usage) may clarify which sense is intended.