Horst

Horst is a name of Germanic origin used as both a given name and a surname, and it also appears in geography and geology. In Dutch and German usage, the root is associated with raised ground, a sense that underpins its use as a place name.

In geology, a horst is an elevated block of the Earth's crust that has risen between normal faults. It forms part of a fault-bounded landscape, often alternating with down-dropped blocks called grabens. The term horst comes from German and is used in structural geology to describe this kind of tectonic feature.

Notable people with the given name Horst include Horst Köhler (born 1943), a German economist and politician who served as President of Germany from 2004 to 2010, and Horst Seehofer (born 1949), a German politician who has led the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria. Notable people with the surname Horst include Horst P. Horst (1906–1999), a German-born American fashion photographer.

Places named Horst include a town in the Netherlands, located in the province of Limburg, which is part of the municipality Horst aan de Maas.