höger

Höger is a surname of German origin. In English-language contexts the name is sometimes written with the umlaut as Höger and may also appear as Hoeger or Hoeger. The precise etymology is not definitively established, but it is commonly treated as a toponymic or descriptive surname. It may derive from a Germanic root related to height or elevation, or from a nickname for a tall or prominent person, with its form varying across dialects and over time.

The name is most common in Germany and among people of German descent in North America and parts of Northern Europe, reflecting migration patterns from German-speaking regions in the 18th–20th centuries. Variants such as Hoeger are frequent in countries where diacritics are dropped.

People bearing Höger have pursued a variety of occupations, including sports, science, and the arts. The surname represents a family name rather than a title or occupational designation, and no single bearer defines the name in the general sense.

The word höger in Swedish means "right" in the directional sense; this term is unrelated to the German surname and the similarity is incidental.