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Question: Why would a name change from Howen to Hoven!?
Some of my ancestors in the Rheinland-Pfalz region of Germany had the last name of Howen/Hoven!. Based on my records, the family name went from Howen to Hoven while still in Germany!. Obviously, the names may have been transcribed incorrectly, but why would it have changed!?

Which name is more likely to be correct for a family in Germany!? Howen or Hoven!? Are both names German, or could they be transplanted from another country before arriving in Germany!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
The letter W in English is a UU!. But in German it is VV!. So pronouncing it Hoven would be an accurate literal translation of the pronunciation of the name!. The farther east they lived, the more likely they'd have used a W instead of a V!. But if they moved around or they went from a Catholic community into a Lutheran community, then the spelling could have been altered!. Consistent spelling in Europe is a pretty modern novelty!. It's not unusual for little shifts like that and it could have happened here or in Europe!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

My dad and his twin were born in louisiana and we have a french last name, so the doctor knew how to spell it properly but his older brother was born in texas and the doctor misspelled his last name on the birth cert!. So my dad and his older brother have two different spelled last names (delahoussaye and delahousay)
This happened in the 1920s (long before computers) and once the doctor filled out your birth cert, that was it!.
The doctor even forgot to put in my dads middle name!.
Things like this in the past have been going on for years!.
My mothers maiden name should be luttrell!. But because of screw ups it is littrell!. I've seen littrell, litrul, and so on!.
Hope this helps!.
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My grandfathers family name started i nGermany as Klassen then Classen then Glossen to finally GlossonWww@QuestionHome@Com