Niehues

Niehues is a German toponymic surname, i.e. it has its source in the type of residence the family lived in.

Etymology and pronunciation

The name Niehues etymologically comes from West Low German (here: Westphalian) dialects, being a compound word meaning "new house" (the High German variant of the name is Neuhaus).

The pronunciation of the name (German pronunciation: [ˈniːhuːs]) does not entirely follow High German pronunciation rules. The second vowel sound is written like the alternative High German spelling of an umlaut-ü sound (German pronunciation: [yː]), but it is pronounced like a normal u sound (German pronunciation: [uː], as in English pool).

Due to the non-standard German origin of the name, it is often misspelled or mispronounced even by Germans, if they are unfamiliar with the dialect.

Origin and distribution

In today's Germany, the name Niehues can be found mostly in the regions where the Westphalian dialect is or was spoken, predominantly in the adjacent cities and districts Münster, Coesfeld, Steinfurt, Recklinghausen, Borken and Unna in the northwest of Germany close to the border of the Netherlands.