Kohr

Kohr is a surname that appears in several cultural and geographic contexts, most commonly in Europe and parts of the Middle East. The name is documented in genealogical records from Austria, Germany, and Turkey, where it is typically spelled “Kohr” without variation. Linguistic studies have linked the Germanic root of the name to an Old High German word meaning “corner” or “edge,” suggesting an occupational or locational origin. In Turkish onomastics the name is recorded as a phonetic adaptation of a native word meaning “cloudy,” reflecting it may have arisen independently in that language.

Beyond personal identification, Kohr is occasionally used as a toponym. An example is the small village named Kohr located in the Kermanshah province of Iran, attested in contemporary census data and historic maps. The village’s name in Persian is written كهر and pronounced similarly, though its etymology is not well documented.

The surname is not associated with any major historical figures that have left wide-ranging influence in the broader public record, but it does appear among a number of regional professionals, including engineers, educators, and local politicians. In more recent times, several bearers of the name have been noted in academic publishing within the fields of civil engineering and regional studies.

Because the name crosses linguistic borders, it is sometimes confused in transliteration with similar-sounding surnames such as Koh, Koer, and Koor. Genealogists typically rely on regional birth records and church registries to differentiate individuals, while publications often accompany the name with national or occupational identifiers to avoid ambiguity.