Neukauf

Neukauf is a German surname and toponym. The name is formed from the elements neu, meaning “new,” and Kauf, meaning “purchase” or “buy.” In onomastic terms, Neukauf likely originated as a nickname for someone who had recently made a purchase or as an indicator for a place associated with a newly acquired parcel of land or property.

As a surname, Neukauf may have denoted a resident of a place linked to a “new purchase” or the occupation of someone involved in acquiring property. Over the centuries the name appears in historical records across German‑speaking regions, with orthographic variants arising from changing spelling practices.

Toponymically, Neukauf can designate a locality, estate, or farm established at the time of land purchase. Such placenames reflect settlement patterns in which a new holder named the site to reflect its acquisition, and they may occur in regional histories or genealogical sources.

Today, Neukauf is encountered primarily as a surname in genealogical and regional contexts. It is not widely used as a modern given name, and there is no single widely recognized place of national prominence bearing the name.

See also: Kauf. Related discussions in German onomastics often address similar compound surnames formed from neu and a commercial or property-related noun.