Aside from Germany this surname occurs in 163 countries. Fundamental All languages German Terms by semantic function Names Surnames From French, German surnames of French origin. During the World Wars, many German Americans anglicised their German surname of Schmidtto Smithto avoid discrimination. Thank you for your time in this matter. Knowing more about your familys origins may help you understand more about their names, and vice versa. For example, the last name "Petit" meaning "small" was a common nickname of Catalan origins. 8. Murphy is the most common name in Ireland, especially in the county of Cork. Abel Abel is a patronymic name which means 'noble one'. There is no real reason why this surname took such deep rootBut today it is borne by many famous sportsmen, politicians and artists. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Abel The patronymic name means 'noble one' and is derived from the Old German personal name 'Albrecht.' 2. This location-based name referred to a household living on the corner of the street or at the edge of a settlement. These typical German names are full of history and tradition, so keep reading to learn more about each one. Dubois is a French surname that carries the meaning of "from the forest.". The Meanings and Origins of Spanish Surnames, Neumann Surname Meaning and Family History, Schroeder 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, 50 Most Common Danish Last Names and Their Meanings, MLLER Surname Meaning and Family History, Certificate in Genealogical Research, Boston University. While many of the official privileges that German nobles had enjoyed for centuries were revoked, the right to include the Von or Zu prefix in the surname was one way that noble families could retain an air of their previous aristocratic rank, as well as bequeathing a noble name and lineage to future generations. Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fritz, Fred, Frederick, Rick, Rich. Rossi is the most common surname in Italy it even inspired the name of a sweet. These typical German names are full of history and tradition, so keep reading to learn more about each one. Meaning "storeroom," similar to "cellar. Novk, Novak or Nowak is a very common surname in a number of Slavic languages. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company. Related: 100 Italian Last Names and Surnames with Meanings, Relates to someone with dark hair, as it means "raven.". 1954), a Lithuanian professional basketball coach and player and Valdas Kazlauskas (b. Toussaint is a family name composed of the words "tous " (all) and saints. The French surname is an occupational name for a shepherd, from Old French bergier (Late Latin berbicarius, from berbex 'ram'). Aubert Netherlands ranks Schmidt as 343 rd with 4,509 people. By the time periods covered by MyHeritages. The first use of surnames was recorded in France around 1000 A.D., though giving last names did not become common until many centuries later. This family would likely be strong and determined, as their last name means "enduring. In Bulgaria, Dimitrov is not a name for spies, but rather famous politicians, ahistorian, a tennis player, a footballer and a painter. Get in touch! As in the Czech Republic, the most common family name in Poland means new man and 203,506 people share it. This research takes time and patience. Bauer (Austrian Origin), meaning "Peasant, Farmer". It sounds like a clichname for a baddy in a hollywoodmovie where you would expect conspiracies, spies and apocalyptic events but its not! 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. and it even has a female version: Papadopoulou. He has researched more than 10,000 names in the past ten years. When Napoleon was eventually defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, France underwent many different regime changes. There is a famous painter named Popa, as well as a politician, a playwright, a guitarist and a gymnast. There are in France approximately 240,000 people with the surname Martin. Hugo Victor Hugo is one of the most renowned. Auer (German Origin), meaning "Dweller near a Marsh, Living by a Water Meadow." 3. It is shared by over 200,000 people in these countries. Open an old phone book in France, and you will find, if you thumb through to the letter M, pages and pages of the same family name. 4. It meansLordorMaster, the title is also closely related to other terms in Sufism. 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. For example, the common last name "Chastain" means "near chestnut trees.". Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Category:French_surnames_from_German&oldid=63603934, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Youll start swearing before you reach page 10 Meanwhile, in Germany, Mlleris so frequent that you may end up in a supermarket! 4. In a similar way, the prefix Zu in a German surname can also be an indication of nobility. With three Michelin stars, French chef Hlne Darroze is a force in the culinary world. Most Ukrainian surnames (and surnames in Slavic languages in general) are formed by adding possessive and other suffixes to given names, place names, professions and other words. Common occupational surnames in France include such names as: Lefebre (craftsman) Gagne (farmer) Marchand (merchant) Berger (shepherd) Bisset (weaver) Mullins (miller) Page (servant) The Descriptive Surname There were times when a family surname or occupational surname did not do a person justice. 1982), an american football player of Lithuanian descent, Jonas Kazlauskas (b. Germany (GER) So, the last name can be translated as Peters son, equivalent to the English last name Peterson. Aigner (Austrian Origin), last name referring to the tribal conflicts in ancient times. The following 5 pages are in this category, out of 5 total. Laurent may also come from the Old Greek word for "bright one" or "shining one", 9. This is a loose translation of a piece written by Prof. Dr. Jrgen Udolph, which can be read in the original German here. 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. Select titleFrench Feudal Barony (from 7000)French Viscount (from 9000)French Count (from 10000)French-Germanic Feudal Barony (from 12000)French Marquisate (from 12000)Italian Feudal Barony (from 7000)Italian Marquisate (from 12000)Italian Duchy (from 15000)Italian Principality (from 20000)German Lordship (from 3900)German Viscount (from 4900)German Barony (from 7000)German Count (from 9000)German Duchy (from 18000)German Principality (from 30000)Italian Lordship (from 2900)French Lordship (from 2900), Country (required) But it is actually quite a common Hellenic surname. French singer, actress, and model, Brigitte Bardot, is, by far, one of the most famous individuals with this surname. So when we look carefully at the most common surnames in Europe, we are looking into the very heart of European identity, so close you can touch it. German family names can be a fascinating gateway to the past not only your familys past, but also the history of Germany and the German language. In this instance. German surnames generally started out as one of four different types. Reviewing a wide-ranging list of French surnames and their meanings (or the "claim to fame" of a specific individual) can spark a lot of creativity and encourage the imagination. However, in Canada, the name Schmidt is ranked the 196 th most popular surname with an estimated 19,008 people with that name. To refer to someone from a certain place in German, it was a custom to simply add the suffix -er to the name of the place, so, for example, a person from Kln is a Klner. You will find it with different spellings in surnames like Hodja, Hoda (Slovak), Hoca (Turkish), Hodi (Bosnian), Hotzakis (Greek), Hoxha (Albanian) or Al-Khawaja. 1869 Argentina 1.8 millon (1.6 MM Arg born) 1872 Brazil 9.8 millon (9.6 MM Bra born) Still RGS and SC score similarly to Pampa which is a lot. (This includes names derived at an older stage of the language.) French surnames generally fall into one of these categories: 1. Brandt Meaning: Burn or burnt. An occupational name for a farm bailiff, it's familiar in pop culture thanks to the Harry Potter character Hermoine Granger. Untranslatable words are actually the essence of European diversity. This ones got us stumped: because Icelanders do not have surnames at all, but rather patronymics reflecting the first name of the immediate father (or mother) of a child, rather than the historic lineage. A number of the names on this list are also words that describe traits, either physical or personality traits, which is in keeping with the style of the time. Apply this search to the user-submitted names, the letters in the pattern are compared to the letters in the name, search for an exact phrase by surrounding it with double quotes, this field understands simple boolean logic, force a term to be included by preceding it with a, force a term to be excluded by preceding it with a, sounds can only be searched in names that have been assigned pronunciations, syllables can only be counted in names that have been assigned pronunciations, names without pronunciations are excluded from results, the "relationship" is how the name relates to its parent name. So if your last name sounds German, it doesn't mean you actually are! Danish: occupational name for a baker from bechere 'baker'. Almost 7,000 Estonians share the family name of Ivanov. Take your pick: 1. 2. And in France, the name Schmidt is the 484 th popular surname with an estimated 9,229 people with that name. Similarly, "Marchand" is a common French surname that means "merchant.". Lapointe. 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). 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. Johansson is a patronymic family name meaning son of Johan and is the surname of more than 265,000 people. These 100 French surnames are sure to intrigue. Just as in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hoxha, pronounced Hodja,is derived from the title Persian title of Khawaja. 1. The name "France" comes from the Latin word Francia, which literally means "land of the Franks" or "Frankland". Perhaps youve been wondering what those surnames mean and where they come from. Be aware that there were thousands of German witches executed during the Medieval and Early Modern Era whose names were never recorded. 3. A form of an Old French word meaning "stable. This also led to the creation of many idioms related to Turkey and Turks. A Anspach Asperger Auf der Maur B Bauer Bernstein Blauschild Blumenfeld Blumenthal Bollinger D Dietemann Dreyfus E Eisenberg Eisenhauer i hav e german blood and dna in me.my last name is mayes.what does my last name mean in german? United States (US) Wisconsin (WI) Prairie du Sac/Sumpter Twp. The name is derived from the Slavic word for new (novin Czech), meaning something similar to new man, newcomer or stranger in English. We still see examples of this custom in modern times. Also used as a topographic name for someone who may have lived near a vineyard. . This is the most common form of German family name and can often be identified by its ending, such as -er (as in Geiger, one who played the violin), -hauer (hewer or cutter, such as Baumhauer, a tree cutter), -macher (one who makes, as in Fenstermacher one who makes windows), and -man/-mann (as in . Flett. Moulin - An occupational name for a miller or mill worker. https://www.thoughtco.com/german-surnames-meanings-and-origins-1420789 (accessed March 5, 2023). Regarding French Ancestry in Brazil, you have to take into consideration that Brazil recieved less french immigrants and already had a population 6 times bigger than Argentina. So manywritersshare the name Hansen, it makes it quite complicated for Norwegians to find their favourite books in libraries especially ahead of their weird Easter tradition of readingcrime books. Like many of their European neighbours, the nobility of Germany adopted the custom of using the name of their estate or region as their surname or integrating it into their given family name. The guide will also explain how to look up French surname frequency. 1 in toulouse - south france. 1. Hartmann and Reinart are strong German last names, with Hermann, Klingermann, and Wolf also known as feisty options. For example, Names like these might have been shortened to, Brckner (someone who lives near a bridge), Buschmann (someone who lives near bushes), Weidemann (willow man or pasture man), Krger (innkeeper or merchant of glass and pottery), Richter (legal official, from the word for to make right), When first approaching a German surname, its important to remember that each name originally had a meaning. Bierwagen (German origin) means "beer-cart". Would you put it rather on the left hand? While the name Kazlauskas was probably mostly brought from Poland via migration, there is also a possibility that it was adopted by some Lithuanians who had the word for a goat in their original surname during the era of polonisation. Geographical: A geographical surname indicates a person's surroundings or hometown. The name originally derives fromsmior smi anunpronounceablebit of Old English, meaning a metalworker,and the wordsmitan(the Old English form ofsmite) which also meantstrike. The German surname derives from the word Berg, the word for "mountain" or "hill", and means "a resident on a mountain or hill", or someone from a toponym Berg, derived from the same. "German" ancestors may have come from Germany, but they also may have come from Austria, Switzerland, Alsace (part of France), much of what is now Poland, Luxembourg, southern Denmark, the present Czech Republic, or even a little bit of Russia. Laurent - A Latin name in origin derived from the Roman surname Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". In some instances, a surname can include both the Von and Zu prefix, indicating that a person or family has descended from that area and are still the current occupants or residents of the estate. This surname corresponded to people who were from various valley landscapes in France. Mller, Schmidt and Meier: the most common German surnames The most common German surname, Mller (miller), is shared by around 700,000 people. Sound familiar? This location-based name refers to someone who lives near aspen trees. -- Baton Rouge : Geoscience Publications, Louisiana State University, 1986 . 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. Europe is so well gardened that it resembles a work of art, a scientific theory, a neat metaphysical system. Fundamental All languages French Terms by semantic function Names Surnames From German, French surnames of German origin. Dubois - A name given to people who live in the woods. Ostlichter LTA But who are we laughing at? Regional differences. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or consultation. This however would not explain its lack of occurrence in Sicily itself. May 5, 2022 | Aristocracy, Germany, Noble Titles, Royal Titles. Someone who worked in agriculture as a reaper or mower might have this surname. When first approaching a German surname, its important to remember that each name originally had a meaning. If you liked this article, you may also like: When Picasso meets Turner or Delacroix, when Rembrandt appears next to Munch or Bruegel, when Klee goes with Klimt, this is the expression of a vivid common European heritage. While Von or Zu can often indicate a history of aristocracy, or at least be a clue to a link to a noble lineage, it is not always an accurate indicator of aristocratic status. , and suggests a noble family being resident at a particular place, usually a country estate, family seat or inherited region. But in Hungary it is also common to have countries as a surname:for example Nmet (German), Horvth (Croat) or Tth (Slovak). One that originated in the Middle Ages, this surname holds the meaning "little fighter.". It also occurs in The United States, where 25 percent live and France, where 8 percent live. Dimitrov is a common surname in both Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. (This includes names derived at an older stage of the language.). Check out this list of popular German surnames and their meanings to see if you recognize any. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Find your French last name and learn about its meaning and origins. Meaning: Peaceful ruler. Many sources derive the surname primarily from Grub, a place name common in southern Germany and Austria. 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. For example: There are an estimated 850,000 different surnames in Germany a very high number! 6. Bernard Bernard derives from the Germanic given name Bernhard or Beornheard, meaning "strong or brave as a bear". 7. Hard cheese, hes going to be tough to find. Dietrich (German origin) means "people's ruler" 5. We have a record! In Germany alone there are more than 320 000 Mller in the phonebook (1.5%) and this is without counting the Mller chain of supermarkets. In the Czech Republic almost 70,000 people share this surname. It was also a very common first name in early medievalSpain. By the time periods covered by MyHeritages birth and marriage indexes from Hesse, for example, surnames were used for the entire family. Most Popular French Surnames on FamilyEducation: Allard, Beaumont, Deschamps, Fournier Guillaume Lambert, Tremblay. The email address is kept private and will not be shown. Is there anyway you can help me out? A son and a father might have different surnames. One glamorous example of this practice is Mitzi Gaynor, the American actress popular in the 1950s who appeared in classic Hollywood films such as South Pacific and Theres No Business Like Show Business. 1 in marche - central italy. Im really new at this type of research. Lithuanians surely know how to practise sport! In this instance, zu is the German word for at, and suggests a noble family being resident at a particular place, usually a country estate, family seat or inherited region. Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamWallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe, I consent to my data being stored in line with your Privacy Policy & Legal Notice (required), Keep me updated - I'd like to sign up for the latest news & offers. Some did not have last names or, more probably, their last names were very impractical for local folk to get their tongues around, so they were given the last name Horvath: perhaps originally just as a nickname. Melnyk means, as in Germany, the profession of miller, which also exists asMelnik in Russia. Text is in German and English. Due to Italian emigration, it is also very common in other countries, including the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and France. Heddle. Many Croats have arrived in Slovakia over recent centuries. She teaches at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Derived from the French word "blanc," which means "white.". If you're looking for inspiration, studies have revealed that people with German surnames that suggest royal or noble rank, such as Kaiser (emperor), Frst (prince) or Knig (king) are more likely to work in more esteemed professions than surnames that alluded to more common jobs. Throughout the evolution of the European aristocracy in the Middle Ages, these prefixes have related to a land-holding or estate that belonged to a noble family, or a region that was inherent in a noble title. Do not confuse: the fairy tale collector Hans Christian Andersen was Danish and his family name spelled with a e. One glamorous example of this practice is Mitzi Gaynor, the American actress popular in the 1950s who appeared in classic Hollywood films such as. While this name is well-known as a hair care and skin care brand, it's extremely common as a French surname as well. 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). As you can imagine, this is anything but easy. Birch trees even inspired one of the most beautiful European fairy tales. Gauthier With a meaning of "forest," this name typically applied to lumbermen. Sourthern names commonly end with o, and northern ones in i. Martin Derived from Mars, the Roman God of War, Martin originates from the tribe of Mairtine. France's capital city Paris is one of the most well-known cultural centers in the world due to its influence on food, art, and couture fashion. Popular French Last Names. Across Europe, children of all kinds owe a good deal of their education, not to teachers and textbooks, but to Fables. This individual nature and sense of self translates to a very important history of French names. For example, they might have called him Schneider because he was a tailor. Switzerland This writer is a part of the FamilyEducation editorial team. ", Related: 50 German Last Names and Surnames with Meanings. The same occurred with names like Polak, Cech or Grek. This enormous popularity is often attributed to Saint Martin of Tours, who is among the most popular French Saint there is even a Pain de Saint-Martin to show you how well-liked the guy is in France. This job-related surname was connected to the grower and/or seller of pears. There are names that correspond with types of location, specific employment, character traits, patronymics (related to the first name of a father or ancestor), and so on. According to Jrgen Udolph there are in total about 700 000 German named Mller. 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 common names Schmidt and Schmitz lead in the central German-speaking and eastern Low German-speaking areas. 5. In the history, where turkification was pursued at an aggressive pace and intensity, such as in cosmopolitan Istanbul or in the eastern provinces, last names including the term Turk (Trk) or even pure turk (ztrk) were imposed on non-Turks. This last name corresponded to families who lived near a road or pathway. 3. (For a modern example, think of the Earl. Bardin: This surname is derived from old high German 'barta' which means 'battle axe'. Unsurprisingly, this surname means "small.". Goldmann Origin: Ashkenazi Meaning: Gold. Meyer is particularly common in the Low German-speaking regions, especially in Lower Saxony (where it is more common than Mller). The name derives from the Latvian word brzs which means birch tree, with the i originally being a diminutive suffix used to form patronymics before finally becoming a simple surname ending. Belgian jokes are very popular in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands such as jokes about the Swedes are very common in Norway, Denmark and Finland. ", Intelligence must run in the family with a last name that means "wise counselor. Today France is one of the world's most powerful global forces with one of the most diverse populations in the world. Not huge: but not bad for such a tiny country. This old French surname has Germanic origin, and means 'noble'. Here are some German family surnames for you. Many accepted this in order to conform to the new ideology but others, in particular political opponents, were willing to risk imprisonment and even execution in order to retain their own ethnic identity. A topographical name corresponding to someone who lived near a bridge. Which title do you prefer? Here is the list of the top French boy names in France from 2020: 1. The German Genealogy Group (GGG) Surname List is a compilation of the surnames submitted by members of the GGG. The surname derived from the first nameIvan,with the possessive form -ov making it broadly translatable as Ivans, or Johns. Following the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor of France, conquering much of Europe. The French language is spoken across continents, and French people are known for their strong sense of individualism. Even more impressive,76% of the population 307,886 people share the same 100 surnames! Horvat is the most frequent surname in Croatia. Perhaps one of the most famous examples of a noble German surname is that of the pioneering aerospace engineer, Wernher von Braun or to give him his full title: Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun. This is the most common surname in Flanders but only the 67thname in French-speaking Wallonia and the second name in the city of Brussels after Janssens. But these words might be retained in names such as place names and names of rivers. It is an especially well-known name thanks to French artist Henri Matisse. Ackermann. This last name is one of the most prevalent in France, and as of 2015, ranked third in most common last names there, with almost 96,000 people bearing the name. Abbe Acord Acy Adrien Agard Agee Agen Agent Agent Ager Aguillard Aguillon Aide Aime Airoldi Alarie Alexandre Alexis Alice Alix Ren Descartes was a French philosopher who invented analytic geometry. Have you ever experiencedsaudade in Sintra? 5. ThoughtCo. By the 18th century almost all Ukrainians had family names. For example, in the British nobility, a Duke of Norfolk may be simply referred to as Norfolk by his peers in government or within the royal court. In 1839 to 1841 indentured laborers were brought into Jamaica from Portugal, but not in large numbers. For example, German surnames, introduced into the Quebec population by German mercenaries who were recruited by the British army during the American revolution, were so different from the French . Im on 60% sure that Haden family was from Rhineland-Palatinate because when they came to Slovakia(around year 1911) they bought land whit vineyards. Virgin IslandsU.S. The OMurchadh families used to live in Wexford, Roscommon and Cork. Popular Jewish Last Names 1. 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 (Zurbrck), -heim (Ostheim), -rich (Heinrich), -lich (Heimlich), -thal (Rosenthal), and -dorf (Dusseldorf). Someone with this last name was likely from a family who lived near a vineyard. The term "Alsace-Lorraine" ("Elsass-Lothringen" in German) refers to a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian war. 2. First German Baptist Church: French Settlement Cemetery: St Francis Roman Catholic Cemetery - INDEX of surnames A-G: St Francis Roman Catholic Cemetery - INDEX of surnames H-O . Haddad Origin: Mizrahi Meaning: Blacksmith. I would like to know about the meaning etc. What is the history of the name LANGENHAHN? The following 64 pages are in this category, out of 64 total. This occupational surname originally referred to someone who worked as a carrier of goods. Would really like to know some information about it.