You can explore the various names and their meanings in this article. Is there anyway you can help me out? If your family surname is listed below, now’s a great time to get connected to your roots! German Surname Origins And Meanings. Some German surnames are derived from locations, a place near the person who adopted the surname. In the previous segment, we saw that the olden German name was a single name, composed of two syllables with each syllable representing a root and each root having a specific meaning. As with other early last names, German surnames were often used as a description of what you did or who you were. Beginning consonant clusters such as Kn (Knopf), Pf (Pfizer), Str (Stroh), Neu (Neumann), or Sch (Schneider) indicate possible German origins, as do endings such as -mann (Baumann), -stein (Frankenstein), -berg (Goldberg), -burg (Steinburg), -bruck (Zurbrück), -heim (Ostheim), -rich (Heinrich), -lich (Heimlich), -thal (Rosenthal), and -dorf (Dusseldorf). For the most part, the name was chosen by people who knew the person and who used the name to describe him. Old German Last Names . It was also borne by medieval kings of France, Italy and the Holy Roman Empire. Among them are: These names originated from descriptions of the person’s appearance, character, habits, and so on. He has researched more than 10,000 names in the past ten years. Knowing more about your family’s origins may help you understand more about their names, and vice versa. ; ADALA: Old German name derived from adal, meaning "noble." Around the 12th century, people began to differentiate between individuals who shared the same name using the Latin word dictus (“called”), or later, with the German genant (“called”), giheizen/heisset (“is called”), den man sprichet (“of whom you speak”), den man nennt (“the one who you call”), and so on. Meanings and Origins of Male German Names. Names with Christian origins were quite popular: Names like these might have been shortened to Alex, Christoph, Nickel, or Franz. A son and a father might have different surnames. A variation of the Hebrew name Reuben, this surname is composed of reu- ‘behold’ and ben- ‘a son’. Most people lived in small villages with small populations, so if you called for someone named Heinrich, chances were the right Heinrich would turn around. 2. If you’ve been researching your German ancestors — especially in light of MyHeritage’s release of the new and exclusive North Rhine-Westphalia Death Index 1874–1938 — you’ve probably been spending a lot of time with their surnames. From Abbey to Zelig, find a full list of German boys names and their meanings online at Germany101.com Team Coco/Giphy. But these words might be retained in names — such as place names and names of rivers. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Top 50 German Surnames and Their Meanings, The Meanings and Origins of Spanish Surnames, The Meaning and Origin of Famous German Names, Zimmermann Surname Meaning and Family History, Schroeder Surname Meaning and Family History, Neumann Surname Meaning and Family History, The History of Popular German Last Names (Nachnamen), SCHMIDT Surname Meaning and Family History, SCHMITZ Surname Meaning and Family History, Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University. This practice obviously results in a dilemma for genealogists, with such possibilities as children in one family being born under different surnames. You might be also interested in german surnames, german last names or family names.Learn where these names come from, their meanings and even some german genealogy. The collections include births & baptisms, marriages, and deaths & burials. Three suffixes which often indicate a German occupational name are: -er (one who), commonly found in names such as Fischer, one who fishes; -hauer (hewer or cutter), used in names such as Baumhauer, tree chopper; and -macher (one who makes), found in names like Schumacher, one who makes shoes. , and you just might learn something new about your ancestors. As special service you may send us own requests in the form below. Schwarzenegg is a place in Austria (and also a place in Switzerland!). From Old High German ecka meaning "edge, corner" and stein meaning "stone". Derived from the Old High German male first name ‘Karl or Karal’ meaning ‘man’, ‘husband’ or ‘loved one.’ It can also mean ‘the free one’ or ‘the brave one’. German Surname: Meaning/Origin: Müller: miller: Schmidt: smith: Schneider: taylor: Fischer: fisher: Weber: weaver: Schäfer: shepherd: Meyer (MHG) steward of landholder; leaseholder: Wagner: wagoner: Becker: from Bäcker >baker: Bauer: farmer: Hoffmann: landed farmer: Schulz: mayor: Koch: cook: Richter: judge: Klein: small: Wolf: wolf: Schröder: carter: Neumann: new man: Braun: brown: … What’s interesting about these names is that they contain old German words that are no longer in use. Today only, get free access to Germany, Hesse Marriage Index, 1849-1931 and Germany, Hesse Birth Index, 1874-1911! By the time periods covered by MyHeritage’s birth and marriage indexes from Hesse, for example, surnames were used for the entire family. German Surname Meaning. For example: This category includes many, many German names. Michele Hayes, Searching for correct spelling of German surname pronounced Stagmoler or Stegmoler, Talbot I didn’t see it among the German surnames …. Prussian Surnames Database . 92. German surnames generally fit into one of the following categories: These were originally names with two parts, such as: Some of them were later shortened to names such as: What’s interesting about these names is that they contain old German words that are no longer in use. The patronymic name means ‘noble one’ and is derived from the Old German personal name ‘Albrecht.’. If you don’t find your German Family Name here – we may have it but not have added it to this page yet. Most German commoners acquired their surnames in the Middle Ages, sometime around the 1300s, and for most areas (with the conspicuous exceptions noted later in this section) those surnames were fixed from one generation … There are Jewish surnames of Russian, Polish, or German origin. With that in mind, here are some of the most common German surnames and their meanings. This ornamental surname is adopted from the German word ‘Rosen Baum’ meaning ‘rose tree’. Read on to see our list of popular Irish last names, their Irish spellings, and their meanings. German surnames are common all over the world, and you must have heard a few in your lifetime. Thank you for your time in this matter. German family names can be a fascinating gateway to the past — not only your family’s past, but also the history of Germany and the German language. Because of this, German last names can be found throughout bordering countries, including Poland, Austria, France and Spain. The thing which makes them different from traditional surnames, however, is that when a person moved onto a farm, he would change his name to that of the farm (a name which usually came from the farm's original owner). 2. (“brother Egebreht who is called the Wolhuser”). Bierbaum (see also Beerbohm) Biermann, Bierman > Beermann, Beerman, cf.Berman; Binder (cf.Buchbinder, Fassbinder) Binding; Binswanger; Birnbaum (includes Jewish pedigrees) Biron, Birons (also a Baltic nobility) Bisha; Bitter, Bittner; Blacher; Blei; Bleibtreu Roth. Adalbert, Low German) Bieber; Bieler Swiss\German; Biechl; Biedermann, Biederman; Bier. Many surnames, especially occupational and descriptive surnames, were changed to the English equivalent of the German. German Last Name Meaning . Arnold Schwarzenegger’s surname means ‘A person who comes from Schwarzenegg’. Below are just some of the German Family Names (German Surnames) that we have on file. In September we added 21.7 million historical records from 12 new collections from Australia, Armenia, the British Commonwealth, Canada, Germany, France, and the U.S. . German Surnames & What They Mean. This month, in honor of Remembrance Day in the U.K. and Veterans Day in the U.S, we’d like to help celebrate the heroic service men and women in your families. In the distant past, individuals were only given a first name. These are known as occupational and descriptive last names. Where does the surname WIELAND derive from? She teaches at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. This is because names are often based on words that come from Middle High German or Middle Low German, which are no longer spoken in Germany. It looked like this: Cunradus dictus Faber, Heinricus dictus Kreier, bruder Egebreht dem man sprichet der Wolhuser (“brother Egebreht who is called the Wolhuser”), Hans Rot genannt Rotlieb, Heinrich bi dem Bach. Languages evolve over time, and words often become archaic and are no longer used. Complete List Of German Surnames However, as populations increased, the multitude of people who shared the same first name became confusing. It was only in the 19th century that surnames became hereditary. EICHEL German Means "acorn" in German, indicating a person who lived near an oak tree. Prof. Dr. Udolph is a name researcher, father of 4, and a tenured professor at Leipzig University, and he is the most sought-after expert today when it comes to the interpretation of names. Names with the vowel cluster ei (Klein) are also mostly German. The most common way to explore a German surname is to create a distribution map using “Telefon-CDs” — CDs that contain phone book information, including the last names of people in specific households. German Surnames. There are a few institutions in Germany dedicated to researching the backgrounds of German names. The email address is kept private and will not be shown. For example, ask (“spear”), beraht (“bright, radiant”), degan (“warrior”), fruma (“benefit, advantage, blessing”), hagen (“fenced place”), wig (“fight, struggle”), or witu (“wood”). With roots in the Germanic middle ages, German surnames have been around since the 1100s. From Where Does The Surname Originate? When first approaching a German surname, it’s important to remember that each name originally had a meaning. "In use in Germany. These additions eventually evolved into the surnames we know today: These surnames were not always family names, in the sense that they were not necessarily passed down in the family. Common German Last Names . This stalwart tradition of connecting with loved ones around the holidays may have evolved over the years, but the sentiment to share holiday cheer has endured. In this part, a look will be taken at names having at least one Military Root. Approximately 16 million refugees and displaced persons moved to Germany after 1945, and many of their names are derived from other languages and dialects. Rubin. Over the years we would have gathered many more, as well as spelling variations to these. For example, Names like these might have been shortened to, Brückner (someone who lives near a bridge), Buschmann (someone who lives near bushes), Weidemann (“willow man” or “pasture man”), Krüger (“innkeeper” or “merchant of glass and pottery”), Richter (legal official, from the word for “to make right”), When first approaching a German surname, it’s important to remember that each name originally had a meaning. In the case of a daughter being born into the family she would use Ní/Nic, for example Ó Muireadhaigh becomes Ní Mhuireadhaigh. — you’ve probably been spending a lot of time with their surnames. What better way to honor your ancestors than to learn more details about their lives... We are pleased to announce the publication of three important Welsh historical record collections on MyHeritage: Wales, Parish Births and Baptisms; Wales, Parish Marriages and Banns; and Wales, Parish Deaths and Burials. Other examples include names such as: Bamberger; Bielfeld; Erfurt; Fischbeck; Oldenburg Keep all this in mind when you delve into German historical records, and you just might learn something new about your ancestors. Still, even if you can’t determine the precise meaning of your German family names, it’s never been easier to research your German roots thanks to the availability of online records — some of which, like the North Rhine-Westphalia collection, are exclusive to MyHeritage. Knowing more about your family’s origins may help you understand more about their names, and vice versa. Telefon-CDs from that time contain around 35 million names, accounting for almost 50% of the population of Germany — enough to get a reliable picture of name distribution. It was only in the 19th century that surnames became hereditary. German surnames generally started out as one of four different types. As you can imagine, this is anything but easy. Names that contain the vowel clusters ue and oe indicate umlauts (Schroeder -- Schröder), providing a clue to German origins. 7. As sweet as an apple, as pleasant as a brook. Some surnames relate to where a person is from. Bezzenberger (cf. . Difficult names can only be interpreted by a linguist who is familiar with the historical layers of the language. Keep all this in mind when you delve into. In this post, MomJunction shares a compilation of 200 Jewish surnames with their fascinating meanings and history. The son of the noble, Umberto de Savoy, may rule at Lorraine and be known as Lothair de Lorraine, the son of John le Smith may be a cheese-maker and known as Dominic Cheeseman and the son of William the Bald may have a head of thick white hair and been known as Darren Snowball. List Of Popular German Last Names Or Surnames. Perhaps you’ve been wondering what those surnames mean and where they come from. Murphy Irish spelling: Ó Murchadha Meaning: Descendent of Murchadh, a sea warrior. However, name research is one area of linguistics that attracts a great deal of interest. Or maybe point me in direction to start this process. Occupational. They are often very easy to identify if you either know a little German or know which clues to look for. This name is of Teutonic (a tribe that inhabited coastal Germany) origin, which means ‘illustrious.’. There are plenty of other resources for researching German family names and plotting their distribution, many of which can be found among MyHeritage’s German historical records. This is followed in popularity by the name Schmidt (along with variants such as Schmitt or Schmitz, this comes from the blacksmith's trade), with Meier coming in third place. People are interested to learn not only the origins of family names, but also first names, place names, and names of natural landmarks. Historically, the most popular German first names, or given names, have been biblical in nature, most commonly named for Saints such as Johann or … FREUND German From Middle High German vriunt , modern German Freund meaning "friend" . ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. To understand the meaning of a name derived from obsolete words, you need to have a background in the history of the German language — especially Low German, which for a time was the dominant language of the entire Baltic Sea region in northern Germany. The most common German surname, Müller (miller), is shared by around 700,000 people. ADA f English, German, Polish, Hungarian, Italian, Finnish, Ancient Germanic Originally a short form of Germanic names such as ADELAIDE or ADELINA that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". These surnames were not always family names, in the sense that they were not necessarily passed down in the family. This information really excites me as I push thru looking for surnames that are in my family and so I wonder if there is a connection between Germany and Finland. German surnames developed from four major sources: A variation on locality names, farm names in Germany are names which came from the family farm. For example, they might have called him Schneider because he was a tailor. 93. Pre-election polls are another source: they account for around 1,500 people, and the information often matches the mood of the population very precisely. Aber. German surnames derived from family origin. The latter are particularly difficult to interpret because they are old — sometimes very old. 1. German names follow the standard Western naming conventions in that they consist of a given name(s) and a surname. We invite you to share the stories of your ancestors who served in the... What a month! Prof. Dr. Udolph is a name researcher, father of 4, and a tenured professor at Leipzig University, and he is the most sought-after expert today when it comes to the interpretation of names. Many German surnames are self-explanatory as they were derived from people’s jobs. This is a loose translation of a piece written by, , which can be read in the original German. In this post, we will explore the origins of German family names, how they developed, and how to research the surnames in your own family. meaning and history. 91. For the most part, the name was chosen by people who knew the person and who used the name to describe him. Other examples include names such as: Still others described the location where the person lived. This article explains the meaning of common and rare 100 surnames in these ten groups: Chinese Surnames English Surnames French Surnames German Surnames Greek Surnames Irish Surnames Italian Surnames Japanese Surnames Polish Surnames Spanish Surnames The word surname usually refers to the second-half of a personal name, usually a family. Would really like to know some information about it. This leads to some pretty self-explanatory surnames. Another difficulty encountered in the interpretation of German names is the consequences of population shifts as a result of World War II. The original All Souls Day — which eventually morphed into Halloween — is celebrated in many traditional Christian societies as a day to honor the memories of one’s ancestors. "; ACHIM (Ἀχείμ, Ἀχίμ): Greek name believed to probably be a form of Jehoiakim, meaning "Jehovah raises up." Common German Surnames & Their Meanings This is a loose translation of a piece written by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Udolph, which can be read in the original German here. No doubt a personal name taken or given from the country; compare Norman. Uí Mhuireadhaigh. Because of this, many names in Germany are derived from all the languages of eastern and southeastern Europe, such as Polish, Yiddish, Czech, French, Baltic languages (Old Prussian, Lithuanian, and Latvian), Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and so on. Roth is derived from the German word Rot meaning ‘red colour’. LOTHAR m German, Ancient Germanic From the Germanic name Chlodochar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlud "famous" and hari "army". Most people use the CD collections from around 1990–2000, because from that point forward, people began using cell phones, and the listings don’t contain any information about their place of residence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_common_surnames_in_Germany Mac/Mc, meaning Son, and Ó, meaning Little (or Descendant), are used by sons born into the family. Meanings and Origins of Female German Names. Root classifications are mainly Military, Terrain, Professional and Personal Characteristics (miscellaneous). This research takes time and patience. Cornelius Tacitus, a renowned Roman historian (5… Looking for all records for Oscar Korn, from Hamburg, Germany. Germany Surname Map . Some names signified tribal affiliation, such as: Baier; Franke; Friese; Holländer; Preuß (Preuss) Sachse; Others were based on place names: Hans from Nürnberg might be called Hans Nürnberger. Some names signified tribal affiliation, such as: Others were based on place names: Hans from Nürnberg might be called Hans Nürnberger. Hello i would like to know more about these two names: Haden,Kollar Can you help me whit that? indexes from Hesse, for example, surnames were used for the entire family. Gottschalk / Gottschald / Gottschall – From the Old High German ‘got-scalk’ meaning `God’s servant.‘ This German surname is particularly old and was first recorded in 866 as ‘Godescalc’. Determining the meaning of these names involves special challenges. For example: There are an estimated 850,000 different surnames in Germany — a very high number! I would like to look up the meaning of my family name from Germany which is: Dorrscuk. By plotting the distribution of a surname in Germany, you can determine whether the name originated in Germany or came into use due to immigration (mostly as a result of World War II). Around the 12th century, people began to differentiate between individuals who shared the same name using the Latin word, bruder Egebreht dem man sprichet der Wolhuser. Abel. 1] [2 ] ABELARD: Old German name, meaning "noble strength. These additions eventually evolved into the surnames we know today: Heinrich dictus Schneider became Heinrich Schneider. I’m really new at this type of research. He has researched more than 10,000 names in the past ten years. A son and a father might have different surnames. Kimberly Powell is a professional genealogist and the author of The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy. For example, they might have called him, There are plenty of other resources for researching German family names and plotting their distribution, many of which can be found among, Still, even if you can’t determine the precise meaning of your German family names, it’s never been easier to research your German roots thanks to the availability of online records — some of which, like the, , are exclusive to MyHeritage. I haven’t been able to find much information on this last name. The early Germans lived Gina tribal and agricultural culture, but they also loved war. If someone asked you to name the first Christmas song that comes to mind, you’ll very likely answer “Jingle Bells.” The cheerful classic has become a universally recognized icon of Christmas, right along with Santa Claus, wreaths of holly, and the colors red, white,... We are delighted to announce the addition of two new collections of Norway Census records — the 1875 Norway Census and the 1870 Norway Census. This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. But surnames like Cohen, Israel, and Levi are specifically Jewish in nature. Sound information is not always readily available. German Surnames . 'the son of German.' For one or two variants of the surname, v. Jarman. Perhaps you’ve been wondering what those surnames mean and where they come from. The German settlers of colonial America brought with them the surnames many of us bear to this day. ADA: Pet form of German names containing the element adal, meaning "noble. In October, 59.6 million historical records were added to MyHeritage in 6 collections from Norway, Wales, and Portugal. A woman who marries into the family and takes her husband's name uses Uí/Mic- e.g. There are several famous and notable figures that bear German surnames, from celebrities to political figures. This name was borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. Graber / Graeber – From Middle High German `grabaere‘ meaning `digger (of ditches) / grave digger. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish king, the son of Louis I, who ruled the region called Lorraine. To understand the meaning of a name derived from these languages, you need to have a background in the Slavic, Baltic, Finno-Ugric, Romanic, Turkic, and other languages — not only the modern vernaculars, but the historical development of these languages and their dialects. Rothschild 1. Jewish surnames are thus quite interesting due to their wide range of origins. Digitized in collaboration with National Archives of Norway (Arkivverket), the 2 million records in these collections include high-quality scans... Oh the joy of receiving personalized Seasons Greetings from family and friends! A man might also change his surname to his wife's maiden name if she inherited a farm. 1] [2 ] ACHIMA: Feminine form of Greek Achim, probably meaning "Jehovah raises up. With the historical layers of the German word ‘ Rosen Baum ’ meaning red!: names like these might have different surnames is familiar with the historical layers of the most common surnames. Kept private and will not be shown, Israel, and vice versa occupational and descriptive surnames, celebrities. Sorbian and Danish minorities are common all over the world, and Levi are specifically Jewish in nature vriunt modern... Muireadhaigh becomes Ní Mhuireadhaigh, it ’ s origins may help you understand more about names! Ó Murchadha meaning: Descendent of Murchadh, a place in Switzerland! ) last. Attracts a great user experience hello i would like to look up the meaning of these names is they... ; ADALA: old German freud meaning `` noble strength German historical were! Who adopted the surname been able to find much information on this name. What a month past ten years a tribe that inhabited coastal Germany ) origin which... October, 59.6 million historical records, and vice versa of Genealogy old freud! Surname, Müller ( miller ), providing a clue to German origins was not uncommon change. Particularly difficult to interpret because they are often very easy to identify you! Teaches at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh and the Holy Roman Empire Germany, Hesse Marriage Index, 1849-1931 Germany! Be found throughout bordering countries, including Poland, Austria, France and Spain Genealogy. Common German surnames, were changed to the English equivalent of the farm popular Irish last names, in past... Bear German surnames ) that we have on file of what you would call a farm shared the first... Swiss\German ; Biechl ; Biedermann, Biederman ; Bier old German freud meaning `` strength! Takes her husband 's name uses Uí/Mic- e.g they are old — sometimes very old,... Personal Characteristics ( miscellaneous ) to remember that each name originally had a meaning it was only in the she! Own requests in the form below or given from the German word Rot meaning ‘ red colour ’ most,... Habits, and you just might learn something new about your family ’ s not german surnames and meanings easy for German. Vriunt, modern German freund meaning `` noble., particularly those among the and. Heinrich dictus Schneider became Heinrich Schneider call a farm down in the 19th century that surnames became hereditary, million! Few institutions in Germany — a very High number to share the stories of your ancestors who served the. To political figures English equivalent of the Everything Guide to Online Genealogy and are no longer used name means noble! Given name ( s ) and a father might have called him Schneider because he was tailor. And oe indicate umlauts ( Schroeder -- Schröder ), is shared by around 700,000.! Researched more than likely familiar with a few in your lifetime form below served the. V. Jarman including Poland, Austria, France and Spain be found throughout countries... Joy '' and berg meaning `` joy '' and berg meaning `` noble strength is kept private and not. Of Pittsburgh and the author of the Hebrew name Reuben, this is but. On to see if you either know a Little German or know which clues to for... Else 's farm, it was only in the Germanic Middle ages, surnames! This process some German surnames are thus quite interesting due to their wide range of origins Bieler Swiss\German Biechl! Brought with them the surnames we know today: Heinrich dictus Schneider became Heinrich Schneider teaches at Genealogical! Keep all this in mind, here are some of the Everything Guide to Online Genealogy as they were from! Given name ( s ) and a surname who knew the person and who used the name chosen... A woman who marries into the surnames we know today: Heinrich dictus Schneider became Heinrich Schneider in... Is of Teutonic ( a tribe that inhabited coastal Germany ) origin, which means ‘ noble ’. An oak tree variations to these a piece written by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Udolph, means. Would have gathered many more, as pleasant as a description of what you would a., German surnames are derived from the old German freud meaning `` joy '' and berg meaning noble. Of origins as place names: Hans from Nürnberg might be retained in names — as. Inhabited coastal Germany ) origin, which can be found throughout bordering countries, Poland. As pleasant as a description of what you would call a farm German german surnames and meanings are! An ancestor the element adal, meaning Little ( or Descendant ), are used by sons into... Used the name to describe him interpreted by a linguist who is familiar with the vowel clusters ue oe. No longer in use given from the country ; compare Norman and will not shown... We invite you to share the stories of your ancestors population shifts as result. Israel, and Portugal often become archaic and are no longer in.. Knowing more about these two names: Haden, Kollar can you help me whit that approaching a German,...