List of the most common surnames in Germany. Fuge Prussian. Rosya (Ukrainian and Russian origin) a shortened variant of Rossiya, which is the namesake word for Russia in the language. Ivanova (Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian origin) meaning daughter of Ivan. But many of these families had a common denominator. Czech last names are a melting pot of Czech, German, and Slovak. In 1880 there was 1 Prussian family living in Minnesota. The easiest way for Jews to assume an official last name was to adapt the name they already had, making it permanent. In 1840 there were 103 Hodge families living in New York. This is a common Russian family name meaning "son of Petr". Other names, chosen or purchased, were combinations with these roots: Blumen (flower), Fein (fine), Gold, Green, Lowen (lion), Rosen (rose), Schoen/Schein (pretty) combined with berg (hill or mountain), thal (valley), bloom (flower), zweig (wreath), blatt (leaf), vald or wald (woods), feld (field). 42. If this ancestor came from Germany, there are at least three possibilities as to the place of origin. 29. Horek (Czech origin) derived from the Czech word hora, meaning mountain, 71. Kalashnik (Ukrainian origin) means maker of kalaches, which is a type of bread found in the Slavic regions, 45. These Ukrainian and Russian surnames are good inspiration for characters with Slavic roots and heritage. Mller, Schmidt and Meier: the most common German surnames The most common German surname, Mller (miller), is shared by around 700,000 people. Germans needed a way to distinguish the difference between people in their towns that had similar names. Unsurprisingly, this surname means "new.". 47. 14. Here are some last names from Czech Republic along you should consider for your character. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. For example, Smirnov has a coefficient of 0.74 (74 percent, which means it is less common than Ivanov by 26 percent). One with nature, this surname means "bird.". Beckenbauer (German origin) meaning bowl-builder. Panchenko (Ukrainian origin) common surname meaning fisher, 51. Gutnik (Ukrainian, Russian, and Yiddish) This name is derived from Yiddish to mean glassworker. Welk German (East Prussian) Nickname from Middle High German welc, meaning "soft and mild". The following table is a count of how many times each family name, or variation of that name, appears in the 1776 census of Mennonites in West Prussia. It is a variant of Forst, meaning someone staying near a stronghold. 31. This list was made as part of a study of the 1776 census, which has been published in the Oct. 2006 and Jan. 2007 issues of Heritage Posting . It is a Czech and Slovak surname meaning crude. As a result, the Germanic origins of most East European Jews is reflected in their names. They have been superseded by more up-to-date and comprehensive information, which you can find on the Most Common Surnames in Birth, Marriage and Death registers pages. All rights reserved. Herzsprung (German origin) meaning heart-leap. eznk (Czech and Slovak origin) meaning butcher in both languages. Someone with this last name likely had a baker in their family line. Ivan - a gift from God Anastasia - resurrection. This family could be quite cunning with a name meaning of "fox-like.". Descendants with this surname likely had someone in their family line known for being extra-tall. The last names in the list are ranked by the frequency compared to the #1 which is Ivanov that has the coefficient of frequency 1,0 (or let's say 100 percent). Germany Surname Distribution Map. It is an occupational name for a smelter. your doctor. Until this period, Jewish names generally changed with every generation. Chernenko (Ukrainian and Russian origin) In both Russian and Ukrainian languages, this name means the color black. Kohl (German origin) means cabbage, his full name was Helmut Kohl, a federal chancellor from 1982 - 1998. "Bach, Johann Sebastian".In this, the German conventions parallel the naming . Waltz (German origin) means "descendant of Walzo". The term denotes a free cottage with some land around it. The surname represents someone who brings something. Some traditional surnames, such as Sofer (scribe), Kantor (Cantor), and Cohen (priest), are related to religion too. The surname Williams was omitted from the original lists. Ackerman plowman; Baker/Boker baker; Blecher tinsmith; Fleisher/Fleishman/Katzoff/Metger butcher; Cooperman coppersmith; Drucker printer; Einstein mason; Farber painter/dyer; Feinstein jeweler; Fisher fisherman; Forman driver/teamster; Garber/Gerber tanner; Glazer/Glass/Sklar glazier; Goldstein goldsmith; Graber engraver; Kastner cabinetmaker; Kunstler artist; Kramer storekeeper; Miller miller; Nagler nailmaker; Plotnick carpenter; Sandler/Shuster shoemaker; Schmidt/Kovalsky blacksmith; Shnitzer carver; Silverstein jeweler; Spielman player (musician? The surname was derived from the Slavic work tesla, meaning adze. This is a list of the most common surnames in South America. Prussians were NOT Slavs. Hoffman Surname Meaning. Finally, there may have been Jewish names changed or shortened by immigration inspectors (though this is disputed) or by immigrants themselves (or their descendants) to sound more American, which is why Sean Ferguson was a Jew. ritual slaughterer from Hebrew schochet; Shofer/Sofer/Schaeffer scribe; Shulman/Skolnick sexton; Spector inspector or supervisor of schools. Oxford University Press. Here are some of my thoughts regarding genealogy and family names in northeast East Prussia (Ostpreussen) and Memel. Most last names across cultures have a meaning and a story behind them and often relate to a family's origin, occupation, ancestors, etc. A version of this post originally appeared on Jewish Currents. It means son of James. Derived from the Hebrew language, it means consecrated to God. . Family Tradition might say that an ancestor who spoke German came to the United States from Europe in 1825 from a place by the name of Baden. If you find a surname in the list that is of interest to you, send a query to: Non-GGG members please note: We are sorry, but we are NOT able to do any research on anyone's ancestors. Copies may be obtained directly from safemail("gpenner","uoguelph.ca","Glenn Penner"). Names that have Von in-between usually connote nobility or is sometimes used by commoners as a preposition which means 'of' or 'from' before their surname. It is a common surname for a person who deals in rye or bakes bread. Holub (Czech and Ukrainian origin) meaning dove or pigeon in both languages, 70. Research genealogy for Johann Ludwig Ruehl of Naunheim, Hessen-Nassau, Prussia, Germany, as well as other members of the Ruehl family, on Ancestry. Baer/Berman/Beerman/Berkowitz/Beronson bear; Adler eagle (may derive from reference to an eagle in Psalm 103:5); Einhorn unicorn; Falk/Sokol/Sokolovksy falcon; Fink finch; Fuchs/Liss fox; Gelfand/Helfand camel (technically means elephant but was used for camel too); Hechtpike; Hirschhorn deer antlers; Karp carp; Loeb lion; Ochs ox; Strauss ostrich (or bouquet of flowers); Wachtel quail. Ryba (Czech and Polish origin) meaning fish in both languages. 44. The name means love in Czech and Slovak. The surname is a habitational surname for someone from Volyne. Broz (Croatian origin) a diminutive of Ambrozije, 6. Many became farmers, thus the terrain-related names, while others became fishermen, millers, smiths, etc., thus the names representing professions. Grgi (Croatian origin) meaning son of Grgur, 13. The name should also suit your characters demeanor. Traditionally described as someone who was a feudal tenantbeing loaned land in exchange for rent or service. The surname is given to someone who works as a butcher, 86. Blow (German origin) a habitual name from anyone from Mecklenburg, and the bearer was an actor and a comedian known as Loriot. Doleal (Czech origin) a surname that originated from a common nickname given to a lazy person, meaning to lie down, 67. This may include tips on using German language resources, understanding naming conventions and geographical boundaries, finding and interpreting immigration records, and using online databases and resources. Saufhaus (German origin) meaning drink-house. The webpage, the article likely provides guidance on how to research and discover information about one's German ancestry. Names were derived from words representing landmarks that surrounded the farm each person had. alone. These last names are formed by adding suffixes to given names and other words. The surname means brick layer or to reproach. Uncategorized. According to the YIVO Encyclopedia, The resulting names often are associated with nature and beauty. 45. - 300 unique dog names- Trendiest baby names- 150 funny WiFi names. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. As a medieval German name, some academics consider this name to be derived from a Latin dative form of Isla. This is an occupational surname that means needle. Originally this was a status name for a farmer who owned his own land. Schweinsteiger (German origin) means pig-climber. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. These funny occupational names can be hilarious and fascinating. Various artists and writers may also be interested in German surnames, but for the purpose of naming book characters, incorporating them into song lyrics, finding them as inspiration for the titles of paintings, sculptures, or other artwork, and more. The patronymic name means 'noble one' and is derived from the Old German personal name 'Albrecht.'. It means someone new to the place. Popular Slavic Last Names From Poland. ", Unsurprisingly, this surname means "sour. But. Thats why most surnames belonging to women in the Czech Republic have the suffix ova or a, instead of y. interactive elements on the site, any assistance, or response you receive is provided by the author The Hodge family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. What nationality is the name Beste? 1) The ancestor may have come from the former Grand Duchy of Baden. ech (Czech origin) translates to Czech, 61. Klum (German origin) there is no specific meaning for the name, but it is gotten after a famous model Heidi Klum, she is also an actress. Schreiber (German origin) meaning writer or scribe. Early on, root endings became an important aspect of the name as well. Ackermann. Filipovi (Croatian and Serbian origin) meaning son of Filip, 9. It means pigeon or dove. The surname translates to Matthews or son of Matthew. Surnames in Germany are quirky and funny at the same time. Meaning "to cut," someone with this surname likely had an ancestor who worked as a cloth-cutter/tailor. You also acknowledge that owing to the limited nature of communication possible on For example, if a man was a master swordsman, his name might be schwerdecke, with schwerd and ecke both meaning sword. Within census records, you can often find . Of Slovak origin, it is the occupational name for a carpenter. Voronin. Hruka (Czech origin) meaning pear. Patronymic, literally meaning "Peter's son. Therefore, many were named things based on physical characteristics, nicknames, or religions. This list was made as part of a study of the 1776 census, which has been published in the Oct. 2006 and Jan. 2007 issues of Heritage Posting (which is published quarterly by the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society). Jankovi (Croatian and Serbian origin) meaning son of Janko, 17. Alternatively, it can mean rose". It is a feminine surname often given to girls. 42. 18. Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. This last name means a person with a sharp tongue. This surname is given to people owning a quarter of land. For example, "Bergman" was "mountain dweller", "Riethman . For whichever of the above surname search options you would like to use, simply select the appropriate radio . It may be used to contact other members who are interested in the same surnames or geographic regions (directly contacting other members of the GGG is a Members Only feature). Kidadl has lots of great name articles to inspire you. Of Czech origin, the name is a combination of be, meaning not and kola meaning instability. It has Slovak and Czech origins and means an English songbird redstart. This surname is of Czech origin. The name has Slovak, Czech, Croatian, Serbian and Hungarian origins.