Hunsaker

Hunziker is a surname from Switzerland. The name most likely originates from the name of a small village in Canton Lucerne. Within Switzerland, the family expanded with a large presence in the Kulm, Zofingen, and Aarau districts of Canton Aargau and smaller concentrations in Cantons Berne, Lucerne, and Zürich. Significant emigration to the United States and Canada has occurred over several centuries. In the U.S., the name has commonly been anglicized to Hunsaker, Hunsicker, Hunsinger, Huntsinger, Hunsucker and many other variants.

While several explanations exist for the origin of the surname Hunziker, the following appears to be that stated by most, if not all, Swiss historians. In the 13th and 14th centuries, surnames often indicated a person's hometown. Hunzikers originated in the 13th century from a very small village called Hunzingen (today called Hunzikon, just east of Geuensee, Canton Lucerne). In the 14th century, the family was also found in large numbers in the Wetzwil neighborhood of Schlierbach, Canton Lucerne and then spread throughout the Suhrental (Suhre River valley). In the 15th and 16th century, Swiss surnames were derived by appending the syllable –er (this largely replaced the practice of using the "von" prefix).

Several Hunzikers living in Aargau have expressed a belief that the surname descends from the traditional occupation of dog breeder (Hundezüchter) and have indicated that Hunzikers have been involved with the development of several dog breeds. This belief is supported in part by the rampant hound regularly found in Hunziker coats of arms. Another possible origin raised by some genealogists is a reference to a valley in which a Hun army camped. A valley or part thereof might be referred to as a corner or "ecke" in German and hence the Hun's valley would be "Hunsecke". However, these explanations appear to be speculative.

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