Alois Hitler, Adolf Hitler’s father, changed his last name from Schicklgruber to Hitler in 1876 when he was 39 years old. The change reflected complex family circumstances, including Alois’s illegitimate birth and efforts to legitimize his paternal lineage. Despite the official name change, the reasons behind the exact choice and spelling of “Hitler” remain uncertain.
Alois was born Alois Schicklgruber in 1837, the illegitimate son of Maria Schicklgruber and an unknown father. For many years, he kept his mother’s surname. This was common for children born out of wedlock in 19th-century Austria. However, the identity of Alois’s biological father—or whether Johann Georg Hiedler was his natural father—has never been definitively confirmed.
Johann Georg Hiedler married Maria Schicklgruber when Alois was a small child. Johann died years later, and Alois was largely raised by Johann’s brother, Johann Nepomuk Hiedler. Johann Nepomuk never formally adopted Alois but effectively acted as his guardian during adolescence.
Key motivation for the name change surfaced decades later. In 1876, Johann Nepomuk Hiedler reportedly left a will stipulating that Alois must take on the family name “Hiedler” as a condition to receive an inheritance. This request may have aimed to legitimize Alois within the family and secure his social standing. Alois complied and sought to change his surname legally from Schicklgruber to reflect a paternal connection.
Complicating matters, the official church and civil documents recorded the new surname as “Hitler” instead of Hiedler. The names Hiedler, Hüttler, Hütler, and Hietler were common variants in the region, meaning roughly “smallholder” or farmer. The spelling “Hitler” was a less common but related form. It remains unclear why the misspelling occurred or why Alois accepted it without objection. Possible explanations include a dialectal variation, or Alois simply agreeing with the notary’s spelling.
Some historians suggest Alois might have considered the “Hitler” spelling as more refined or less rustic than Hiedler or Hüttler. Others believe that bureaucratic inconsistencies led to the variation. The spelling then passed down to Alois’s son, Adolf Hitler, solidifying the surname in history.
Multiple theories surround the exact reason Alois chose or accepted the changed name. One is that he was declaring Johann Georg Hiedler as his legitimate father, beyond a mere stepfather role. Alois and contemporaries indicated that Johann Georg had acknowledged his paternity before his death, which would have lent legitimacy to Alois. Another theory points to Johann Nepomuk’s influence, who might have pushed for the change to continue his family name, since he had no male heirs.
Among the factors leading to Alois’s name change:
- Illegitimacy at birth, leading to his original surname being his mother’s maiden name, Schicklgruber.
- Marriage of his mother to Johann Georg Hiedler, who may have been his biological father.
- Johann Nepomuk Hiedler’s will condition requiring a surname change for inheritance purposes.
- Official documents altering the expected family name Hiedler to Hitler, likely due to clerical or dialect differences.
The transition from Schicklgruber to Hitler marks a late 19th-century social maneuver. It aligned Alois with a paternal lineage, increased social legitimacy, and allowed him to claim property rights. The surname Hitler was not historically common in the family before Alois, creating a small but distinct family branch starting with him.
The exact reasons for the chosen spelling “Hitler” remain unknown. Historians caution that the lack of direct evidence leaves the question open to interpretation. What is clear, though, is that this name change had lasting consequences, as it became the surname of one of history’s most infamous figures.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Surname | Schicklgruber (mother’s name) |
| Illegitimacy | Alois born out of wedlock in 1837 |
| Stepfather | Johann Georg Hiedler, married Alois’s mother after birth |
| Guardian | Johann Nepomuk Hiedler, stepbrother who raised Alois |
| Name Change Year | 1876 (official change recorded in 1877 registry) |
| Required By | Will of Johann Nepomuk Hiedler |
| Final Surname | Hitler (a misspelling or variation of Hiedler) |
| Meaning | Derived from smallholder-type surnames common in the region |
| Reason for “Hitler” spelling | Uncertain; likely a clerical spelling or dialect choice |
- Alois changed from his mother’s name Schicklgruber to his stepfather’s name to legitimize paternity and claim inheritance.
- The specific spelling “Hitler” was likely a clerical misspelling or dialect variation of Hiedler/Hüttler.
- Johann Nepomuk Hiedler’s will triggered the name change condition for inheritance.
- Exact motives and reasoning behind the spelling remain uncertain despite historical research.
