Hoch

Hoch is a German surname derived from the German word hoch, meaning "tall" or "high." It likely originated as a nickname for a tall person or as a topographic name for someone living on high ground. The surname is closely related to the English surnames Hayter and Hightower, which share a similar meaning of "tall" or "high."

Notable Bearers

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Hoch, including American politician Edward W. Hoch (1849–1925), who served as the 17th Governor of Kansas. Another prominent bearer is Edward D. Hoch (1930–2008), a prolific American mystery writer known for his short stories featuring detectives such as Dr. Sam Hawthorne. In Germany, Clemens Hoch (born 1978) is a politician serving in the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament (SPD).

The closely related variant Höch (with an umlaut) is associated with notable figures such as Hannah Höch (1889–1978), a pioneering German Dada artist known for her photomontages that explored gender and identity. Other bearers include Danny Hoch (born 1970), an American actor and writer, and Homer Hoch (1879–1949), a U.S. Representative from Kansas. In sports, Swedish soccer player Daniel Hoch (born 1979) and Austrian tennis player Eva-Maria Hoch (born 1984) are recognized athletes.

• Meaning: "tall" or "high"
• Origin: German
• Type: Surname
• Regions: Germany, the Netherlands (as an archaism), and among German-speaking communities worldwide