Behind the Name
the etymology and history of surnames
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German Names

Abbing
Usage: Dutch, German
Variant of Abbink.

Abel
Usage: English, French, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Spanish, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Abel.

Abeln
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Abel.

Abt
Usage: German, Dutch
Derived from Old Low German abt "abbot".

Achilles
Usage: English, Portuguese, German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Achilles.

Acker
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "field", derived from Old English or Old High German (related to the word acre).

Ackermann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Modern German form of the Middle High German word ackerman - acker = "field", man = "man". It was an occupational name for a farmer who did not own the fields he worked on.

Adam
Usage: English, French, German, Italian
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Adam.

Adenauer
Usage: German
Denoted a person from Adenau (a German city).

Adler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "noble eagle" from the Germanic word Adler.

Adlersflügel
Usage: German
Means "eagle's wing" from the Germanic words Adler "eagle" and Flügel "wing".

Aeschelman
Usage: German
Denoted a man from the Aeschel Valley on the Swiss-German border.

Albert
Usage: Catalan, English, French, Hungarian, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Albert.

Albrecht
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Albrecht.

Aleshire
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
An Anglicized form of Aleshite.

Aleshite
Usage: German
Means "from Ehlscheid, Germany".

Almstedt
Usage: Swedish, German
Means "elm house" in Swedish.

Althaus
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller by or in the old house" from the German alt "old" and Haus "house". It can also refer to the German place names Althaus and Althausen as well.

Amsel (2)
Usage: German
Means "a blackbird" in German.

Andres
Usage: German, Czech
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Andrew.

Arisen
Usage: German
Lived Ohio in 1850 married Margaret Clupper.

Armbrüster
Usage: German
A variant of Armbruster.

Armbruster
Usage: German
Means "crossbow maker" from German armbrust "crossbow". The word armbrust is derived from German arm "arm" and brust "breast" which describes the orientation of the weapon while being used - extending from the breast to the end of the arm.

Artz
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Aarts.

Aue
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller on the pasture" from the Middle High German ouwe "pasture". There are many place names Aue in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Auer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Old German name which means "dweller at a swamp or marsh".

Aust
Usage: German
Derived from Aust, an archaic diminutive of August.

Autenburg
Usage: German
Variation of Auttenberg.

Auttenberg
Usage: English, German, Polish
Possibly means "dweller at Ealdwine's hill, mountain" from the Germanic name meaning "old friend" and berg meaning "hill, mountain.

Baasch
Usage: German, Dutch
Means "boss" from the Middle Low German baas.

Bach
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A topographic name for someone who lived by a stream, from the Middle High German bach, meaning "stream".

Bachmeier
Usage: German
Means "a farmer whose farm is beside a stream" from Middle High German bach "stream", mei(g)er "steward". For more information, see Bach and Meier.

Bäcker
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Newer variant of Becke.

Bader
Usage: German
Derived from Old High German bad "a bath", most likely referring to a bath attendant.

Bähr
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Menas "bear" or "boar" from the Middle High German bër "bear" or ber "boar". Originally it was a nickname for a strong and brave person.

Bambach
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Baumbach.

Bauer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German bur or bure meaning "farmer".

Bauers
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Bauer.

Baum
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "a tree" in German.

Baumann
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German buman meaning "farmer".

Baumbach
Usage: German
Derived from the place name Baumbach.

Baumgärtner
Usage: German
A variant of Baumgartner.

Baumgartner
Usage: German
Means "a person who works at an orchard" from German baumgarten "orchard". The word baumgarten itself is derived from baum "tree" and garten "garden".

Baumhauer
Usage: German
Means "a woodcutter" from Miggle High German boum "a tree", houwen "to chop". Baum is the modern German word for "a tree".

Bayer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From German Bayern "Bavaria", referring to person from Bavaria.

Beck (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Becke.

Becke
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German occupational name from Middle High German becke meaning "baker".

Beckenbauer
Usage: German
Means "basin/bowlmaker" in German.

Becker
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Newer variant of Becke.

Beckert
Usage: German
A variant of Becker.

Behrend
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Bernd.

Behrends
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Behrend.

Beitel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant form of Beutel.

Beltz
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German belz "fur".

Benn
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Bernhard.

Berg
Usage: German, Swedish
Extra: Statistics
It means "mountain" in the Germanic languages.

Berger (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "person living on a mountain", from Old High German berg "mountain".

Bergfalk
Usage: Swedish, German
Extra: Statistics
Derives from berg meaning "mountain" and falk meaning "falcon". It's a fairly rare name.

Beringer
Usage: Dutch, German
From the old Germanic given name Beringer.

Bernat
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German first name Bernhard.

Best
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the name of the river Beste. A famous bearer of this surname was football legend George Best.

Beutel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
The German word Beutel derives from the Middle High German word biutel meaning "bag". Originally a person with that surname was making and selling bags.

Beyer
Usage: German
Variant of Bayer.

Beyersdorf
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Americanization of what may have been originally Baurnes des Dorf, or "the village of the farmers". Bauer (singular) is the German word for "farmer", Bauern is plural German for "farmers". Dorf is the German translation of "village".

Bieber
Usage: German, Jewish
From Middle High German biber ‘beaver’, German Biber, or Yiddish biber, hence a nickname, possibly a nickname for a hard worker, or from some other fancied resemblance to the animal. In some cases the surname may be habitational, from a house or some other place named with this word. As a Jewish name it is largely ornamental.

Biermann
Usage: German
Derived from German bier "beer", mann "man". The name may have referred to a brewer, a tavern owner or a drinker.

Bischoffs
Usage: German
Means "bishop".

Blau
Usage: German
Means "blue" in German, most likely used to refer to a person who wore blue clothes.

Blecher
Usage: German
Name for someone who worked with tin or sheet metal, from German blech "tin".

Bleier
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "a worker of lead", derived from German blei "lead".

Blumenthal
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German Blumen "flowers", thal "valley".

Blumstein
Usage: Jewish, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "flower stone" in German.

Bocker
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Possibly Old German for a "cooper", or one who makes barrels.

Boehler
Usage: German
Spelling variant of Böhler.

Boer
Usage: Dutch, Low German
Extra: Statistics
West Low German Boer = "farmer".

Boesch
Usage: German
A variant spelling of Bösch.

Böhler
Usage: German
Derived from the name of several towns called Böhle in Germany.

Böhm
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "Bohemian", a person from Bohemia (Böhmen in German). Bohemia was a former kingdom of the present-day Czech Republic.

Böhme
Usage: German
Variant of Böhm.

Böhmer
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Originally referred to a person who was from Bohemia (the western Czech Republic).

Bohn
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
An occupational name for a grower of beans derived from Middle High German, Middle Low German bone "bean".

Borchard
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Burkhard.

Bösch
Usage: German
Derived from a nickname of the given name Sebastian.

Bosch
Usage: German, Dutch
Derived from Dutch bussch "wood".

Böttcher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name meaning "cooper (barrel maker)" in German.

Brahms
Usage: German
Variant of Brams. A famous bearer of this surname is the German composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1987).

Brand
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Brand, derived from Old High German brant meaning "sword".

Brandt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brand.

Brant
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brand.

Brauer
Usage: German
Derived from Middle Low German bruwer "a brewer".

Braun
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brun.

Braune
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brun.

Breiner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from Middle High German brie "porridge".

Breisacher
Usage: German
Originally denoted one who came from the town of Breisach, located in Germany.

Breitbarth
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "broad beard" from German breit "broad" and bart "beard", originally a nickname for someone with a full beard.

Bretz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "a person from Breetz", Breetz being a town in lower Saxony.

Brinkerhoff
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "home on or near a hill" (i.e., "on the brink"). An early American with this name was Joris Brinkerhoff, who went to New York.

Brodbeck
Usage: German
Means "a bread baker" from Middle High German brot "bread", becke "baker".

Brose
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Ambrose.

Brotz
Usage: German
A variant of Protz.

Bruhn
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brun.

Brun
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German brun meaning "brown". Originally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin.

Brune
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Brun.

Buchholz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "beech wood" from German Buch "beech", Holz "wood".

Buckholtz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant spelling of Buchholz.

Buhr
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German form of Bauer.

Bumgarner
Usage: German
A variant of Baumgartner.

Burgstaller
Usage: German
From German Burg for a "fortress, castle", and from German Stelle, the site of such a castle. Name given to a person dwelling at or near such a site.

Busch
Usage: German
Means "bush" in German. The name was most likely a nickname for someone who lived close to a thicket.

Carver (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of the German surname Gerber.

Dahl
Usage: Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Middle Low German dal and Old Norse dalr = "valley". A famous of this surname was author Roald Dahl; mostly remembered for children's stories such as 'Matilda' and 'Henry Sugar'.

Derrick
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Derrick, which is a form of Derek. A famous bearer of this surname is the character of Stephan Derrick (played by Horst Tappert), the lead character in the German Krimi-series 'Derrick'.

Diefenbach
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From an old German place name which meant "deep creek".

Dieter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Dieter.

Dietrich
Usage: German
Derived from the given name Dietrich.

Dirchs
Usage: Dutch, German
Variant of Dircks.

Dittmar
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a personal name of the elements theud meaning "people" or "race" and mari or meri, meaning "famous".

Dohman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a pet form of the given name Thomas.

Drechsler
Usage: German
A variant of Dressler.

Dreher
Usage: German
Means "a turner" from Middle High German dræhen "to turn". A turner was a person who worked on a lathe and created small objects from wood or bone used for decoration.

Dreschner
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German dreschen "to thresh", "to separate the grains from a cereal plant".

Dresdner
Usage: German
Means "a person from Dresden" in German.

Dressler
Usage: German
Means "a turner" from Middle High German dreseler. A turner was a person who worked on a lathe and created small objects from wood or bone used for decoration.

Duerr
Usage: German
A variant spelling of Dürr.

Dunkle
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dark" in German.

Dunst
Usage: German
Derived from the Middle High German dunst "haze".

Dürr
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German dürre "thin".

Eberhardt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Eberhard.

Ebner (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller on a flat piece of land" from the Middle High German eben(e).

Ebner (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "judge, arbiter" from the Middle High German ebenœre.

Eckstein
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From German eck meaning "corner" and stein meaning "stone".

Egger
Usage: German
Means "a plow man" from eggen "to dig".

Eichel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "acorn" in German.

Eilerts
Usage: German
Derived from the given name Eilert.

Engel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a German first name starting with Engel-, for example Engelbert.

Enns
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a short form of the German first name Anselm.

Esser
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "cartwright" from Middle Old German asse "axle".

Essert
Usage: German
A variant of Esser.

Everhart
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Eberhardt.

Fabel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a pet form of the first name Fabian.

Faerber
Usage: German
A variant spelling of Färber.

Falk
Usage: Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Extra: Statistics
Old Norse falker and Middle High German valke = "falcon".

Falkenrath
Usage: German
Meaning "keeper of the falon" with falk from the Germanic valke for "falcon" and rath meaning "keeper".

Färber
Usage: German
Means "a dyer" from German farbe "colour".

Fashingbauer
Usage: German
Fasching is a German carnival (Fastnacht = "eve of the beginning of the fast," or the time before Lent) celebrated in Austria and Catholic Bavaria. Bauer is German for "farmer".

Faust
Usage: German
Derived from the given name Faust, a form of Faustus.

Feigenbaum
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "a fig tree" in German.

Feld
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "field" in German. The name was originally given to someone who lived on land cleared of forest.

Feldt
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Feld.

Fenstermacher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "window maker" in German.

Fertig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "ready, prepared" in German.

Fiedler
Usage: German
Means "a fiddler" in German.

Fischer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname meaning "fisherman" in German.

Flater
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "field" in German.

Fleischer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "butcher" in German.

Foerstner
Usage: German
A variant spelling of Förstner.

Forst
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German forst "forest".

Förstner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German form of Forester.

Foth
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "foot".

Frank (3)
Usage: German, Dutch, Scandinavian
A name for a person from Franconia in Germany, so called because it was settled by the Frankish people.

Franke
Usage: German, Dutch, Flemmish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Frank (3).

Frei
Usage: German
Means "free" in German. The name most likely referred to someone outside the feudal system.

Freud
Usage: German
Means "joy" in German.

Freudenberger
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "friend of the mountain," from the German "freund/freud," meaning "friend," and "berg," meaning "mountain." The name comes from the Baden/Bavarian area of Germany, as early at the 1400s, and can be found in not only Germany, but Austria and Switzerland, as well, do to migration.

Freund
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Middle High German vriunt, modern German Freund = "friend".

Fried
Usage: German
Derived from the given name Friedrich; also means "peace" in German.

Friedrich
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Friedrich.

Fromm
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the Middle High German vrom "capable".

Frost
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Old English and Old High German. From a nickname for a person who had a cold personality or a white beard.

Fuchs
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German vuhs meaning "fox". Originally a nickname for a person with red hair.

Fuhrmann
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German vuorman "cartwright".

Fürst
Usage: German
Means "a prince" in German. The word fürst itself is derived from Old High German furisto "(the) first".

Fux
Usage: German
Variant of Fuchs.

Gabler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
An occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from German gabel "fork".

Gaertner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German variant of Gardner.

Garb
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Garber.

Garber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Gerber.

Gärtner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German variant of Gardner.

Garver
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Gerber.

Gass
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Name for someone who lived on a street in a city, from German gasse.

Gehrig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Gehring.

Gehring
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Gerhard.

Geier
Usage: German
Means "vulture" in German, a nickname for someone who is greedy.

Geiger
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "fiddle player" in German. This was an occupational name for a fiddler.

Geisler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Geiszler.

Geissler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Geiszler.

Geiszler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German geiss meaning "goat" and the suffix ler signifying an occupation, thus "goat-herder".

Gensch
Usage: German
From the given name Gensch, a Sorbian form of John.

Gerber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Gerber is German for "tanner" or "leather dresser", which makes it an occupational German surname. This surname is common in Germany and Switzerland, as are its variants Garber and Garver. Many families with this surname in Europe were members of the Anabaptist peace sects who emigrated to America to escape the widespread persecutions which followed the Reformation. Upon arrival to America as early as the beginning of the 18th century, the original form of the Gerber surname changed spelling in some families to Kerwer, Kerper, Kerwar, Gerver and Carver.

Gerhard
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Gerhard.

Gerhardt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Gerhard.

Gerig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Gehrig.

Gerst
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from Middle High German gerst "barley".

Gerstle
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Gerst.

Gerver
Usage: German
Variant of Gerber.

Giehl
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German form of Giles.

Giese
Usage: German, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a short form of the personal name Giselbert, or any other Germanic name with the first element gisil.

Glöckner
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German glocke "bell". The name might have referred to a person who worked at or lived close to a belltower.

Goebel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the personal name Göbel, a pet from of the Old German name Godebert, which is derived from god "God" and beraht "bright".

Goldschmidt
Usage: German
Means "goldsmith" in German.

Gorman (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Germanic elements ger "spear" combined with mann "man".

Gott
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the short form of various Germanic compound personal names whose first element is either god, meaning "good" or god or got, meaning "god".

Gotti
Usage: Swiss, German
Variant of Gott.

Gottlieb
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German first name Gottlieb.

Gottschalk
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "servant of god" from Germanic god "god" and scalc "servant".

Graner
Usage: German, Hungarian
Extra: Statistics
Meaning "of Gran", Gran being the German name for Esztergom, a small city in northern Hungary.

Greenberg
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Anglicized form of the German surname Grünberg, which is formed from the words grün "green" and Berg "mountain." This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.

Groos
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Gros
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Gross
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Groß
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German groz meaning "tall, big".

Große
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Grosse
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Größel
Usage: German
Variant of Groß, used in southern Germany.

Großel
Usage: German
Variant of Groß, used in southern Germany.

Großer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Grosser
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Grosz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Groß.

Grünewald
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "green forest" from German grüne "green", Wald "forest".

Günther
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Gunther.

Gunther
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Gunther.

Gutermuth
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the Middle High German words guot meaning "good" and muot meaning "mind or spirit". It also means "good spirit, good cheer". It was a name for an optimistic person.

Gwerder
Usage: German, Swiss
Originating in a narrow, seculded valley in central Switzerland (Muotathal). Origin is from the Swiss German word gwerig, an adjective meaning "agile" or "alert".

Haas
Usage: Dutch, German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hase.

Haase
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hase.

Haber
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German Haber "oats". This was an occupational name for one who grew or sold oats.

Habich
Usage: German
German cognate of Hawk.

Habicht
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German cognate of Hawk.

Hafner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from Middle German hafen "pot, dish", referring to a potter.

Hahn
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German han, hane meaning "rooster". Originally a nickname for a proud and pugnacious person.

Hall
Usage: Danish, English, German, Norwegian, Swedish
Extra: Statistics
Means simply "hall", given to one who either lived in or worked in a hall (the house of a medieval noble).

Harman
Usage: English, French, German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hermann.

Hartmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Hartmann.

Hase
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German and Middle Low German hase meaning "hare, rabbit". It is a nickname for a timid person.

Hasek
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "hare" from the German word haase.

Hasenkamp
Usage: German
Means "rabbit field", from Middle German hase "rabbit" and kamp "field". Documented in the year 1300.

Hass
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Hasso, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element hadu meaning "combat".

Hauer
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop". The name may refer to a butcher or to a woodchopper.

Haupt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German cognate of Head (1) or Head (2).

Hausler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German word haus meaning "house", combined with the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant. A reference to a resident of a house with no land.

Havener
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hafner.

Heidrich
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Heidenreich (nowadays merely used as a surname) which comes from the Old High German words heidan meaning "heathen", and reich "power".

Heinrich
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German first name Heinrich.

Heinrichs
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Heinrich.

Heintze
Usage: German
Derived from a diminutive of Heinrich.

Hellewege
Usage: German
Derived from the German first name Hellwig, which is a newer form of both Helmwig meaning "helmet & battle" and Heilwig.

Heppenheimer
Usage: German
From Heppenheim, the name of a city in Hessen.

Herbert
Usage: Dutch, English, French, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the male given name Herbert.

Hermann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Hermann.

Herrmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hermann.

Herschel
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hirsch (1) or Hirsch (2).

Hertz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German herz meaning "heart", a nickname for a big-hearted person.

Hildebrand
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Hildebrand.

Hinrichs
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Hinrich.

Hintzen
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "son of Hintz", a diminutive of Henry.

Hirsch (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "deer" in German. This was a nickname for a person who raised, herded, or hunted deer.

Hoch
Usage: German
Means "tall" in German.

Hochberg
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "high hill" in German.

Hoefler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hofer.

Hofer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname meaning "farmer" in German.

Hoffman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hofmann.

Hoffmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hofmann.

Höfler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hofer.

Hofmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German hove(s)man or hofman meaning "farmer on a farmstead", "owner of a farmstead" or "person working on a farm".

Hofmeister
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "master of the household", from Middle German hof "household, court" and meister "master, keeper".

Holst
Usage: Low German, Dutch, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Referred originally to a person from the region of Holstein (between Germany and Denmark). Bearers of this name include Gustav Holst, famous English composer.

Holtzer
Usage: German
Means "a person who lives near a forest" in German.

Hölzer
Usage: German
A variant of Holtzer.

Holzer
Usage: German
A variant of Holtzer.

Holzknecht
Usage: German
Occupational name for a woodworker's apprentice, from Old German holz "wood" and knecht "apprentice, servant".

Holzmann
Usage: German
Derived from German holz "wood" and mann "man". The name was given to someone who lived close to a wood, or worked with wood.

Hoover
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A name for a land-owner, from Old German huoba, a measure of land.

Horn (1)
Usage: English, German, Norwegian, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn.

Horn (2)
Usage: English, German, Norwegian, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for one who played a horn.

Horn (3)
Usage: English, German, Norwegian, Danish
Extra: Statistics
Originally given to a person who lived near a horned-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.

Horowitz
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From the German name for Horovice, a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.

Houk
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the medieval German region of Huc, located in northeastern Germany.

Hüber
Usage: German
A variant of Huber.

Huber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Name from southern Germany. From Middle High German huober or huob(e)ner meaning "man who owns a hube" (a hube is a piece of land of 30-60 acres).

Huff
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "spur of a hill" in Old English.

Huffman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Hofmann.

Huffmann
Usage: German
A variant of Hoffmann.

Hummel (1)
Usage: German, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Humbert.

Hummel (2)
Usage: German, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian
Nickname for a busy person (from the Germanic word hommel meaning "bee").

Hutmacher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German equivalent of the Dutch Hoedemaker.

Ingersleben
Usage: German
Means "Ingersleben, Germany", which meant "Inge's village".

Jaeger
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Jäger.

Jäger
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German jeger(e) meaning "hunter".

Jager
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Jäger.

Janson
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "son of Jan".

Jollenbeck
Usage: German
In the village of Jollenbeck Germany, there is a river called the Jölle river which gave Jöllenbeck its name.

Jordan (1)
Usage: English, French, German, Polish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Jordan.

Jung
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German junc meaning "young".

Junge
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Jung.

Kahler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "bald-headed" in German.

Kaiser
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German keiser meaning "emperor". The word originates from the Latin name Caesar.

Kalb
Usage: German
Means "calf" (the animal) in German.

Kalbfleisch
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Kalbfleisch is an occupational surname that indicated a butcher who sold veal meat or a butcher who slaughtered calves. In German kalb means "calf" and fleisch means "meat".

Kappel
Usage: German, Dutch
Means "a person who lives near or works at a chapel" from Middle High German kappel "chapel".

Karl
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
From the personal name Karl.

Kaspar
Usage: German, Slovene
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Kaspar.

Kassmeyer
Usage: German
From the low german area around Paderborn. Basic meaning is kass or cass = "cash" and meyer = "farmer".

Kästner
Usage: German
Means "a cabinet maker" from German kasten "box".

Katz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German word die Katze "cat".

Kaube
Usage: German
From the name of a town, Kaub, in Germany.

Käufer
Usage: German
A variant of Kaufer.

Kaufer
Usage: German
Means "a trader" in German.

Kauffmann
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kaufman.

Kaufman
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "merchant" in German.

Keil
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle Ages in Germany, it literally means "wedge shaped". It was used to denote one who owned a wedge-shaped piece of land.

Keller
Usage: German, Hungarian
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German këller meaning "cellar". This name is either an occupational name for a cellarer or it is for a person who lived in a cellar.

Kempf
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German form of Kemp. In order to Americanize the name, some people dropped the letter f, altering the name to the English version.

Kerner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German kern "seed". An occupational name for one who sold or planted seeds.

Kerper
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Gerber.

Kerwar
Usage: German
Variant of Gerber.

Kerwer
Usage: German
Variant of Gerber.

Kiefer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "pine tree" in German.

Kirchner
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German kirche "church". The name was probably given to someone who worked at a church or lived near one.

Kistler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
An occupational name meaning "chest-maker, cabinet-maker" in German.

Kistner
Usage: German
A variant of Kästner.

Kleid
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for a tailor, from German Kleid "garment, clothing".

Klein
Usage: German, Dutch, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "little" from German klein or Yiddish kleyn. A famous bearer of this name is clothes designer Calvin Klein.

Klossner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German Klausner "hermit".

Knef
Usage: German
Occupational name for a shoemaker (derived from Low German knif meaning "shoemaker's knife").

Kneib
Usage: German
Variant of Knef.

Kneller
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Nickname for a noisy or disruptive person, derived from Old German knellen "to make noise, to cause a disturbance".

Knepp
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Knopf.

Knochenmus
Usage: German
The German knochen means "bone" and mus means "sauce". It probably referred to someone who worked in the butcher trade.

Knopf
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "button" in German, originally belonging to a button maker or button seller.

Knopp
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Knopf.

Koch
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Very common German name. It comes from a German word meaning "cook".

Kock
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle Low German kok meaning "cook".

Koenig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German cognate of King.

Koenigsmann
Usage: German
It means a "king's man", or someone who played a king in a play. Originally spelled without an e, and with an umlaut.

Köhl
Usage: German
A variant of Kohl.

Kohl
Usage: German
Derived from Middle High German kol "cabbage".

Köhler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kohler.

Kohler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German koler meaning "charcoal burner" or "charcoal seller".

Kolbe
Usage: German
Means "mace" in German. A mace is a heavy medieval war club with a spiked or flanged metal head, used to crush armor.

König
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German cognate of King, from Middle High German künnic, künec.

Kopp
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Jacob.

Kraemer
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Krämer.

Krämer
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German kræmer, kramære, kromer and Middle Low German kramer, kremer, kromer meaning "shopkeeper, grocer".

Kramer
Usage: German, Low German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Krämer.

Krantz
Usage: Jewish, German, Dutch
A variant of Kranz.

Kranz
Usage: Dutch, German
Derived from Middle High German kranz "wreath".

Kraus
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German krus meaning "curly". Originally a nickname for a person with curly hair.

Krause
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kraus.

Krauss
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kraus.

Krauß
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kraus.

Krebs
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German word meaning "crab", perhaps a nickname for a person with a crab-like walk.

Kröger
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Krüger (1) and Krüger (2).

Kron
Usage: German, Swedish
Extra: Statistics
Means "crown", perhaps a nickname for one who worked in a royal household.

Kruckel
Usage: German
Nickname for a crippled person or someone who walked with a cane, from German krücke meaning "cane".

Krüger (1)
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
In northern Germany: From Middle Low German kroger, kruger meaning "host".

Krüger (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
In southern Germany: Means "potter" from Middle High German kruoc meaning "jug, pot".

Kruger
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Krüger (1) and Krüger (2).

Kruse (1)
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kraus.

Kruse (2)
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname meaning "potter", from Middle High German kruse "pot, jug".

Küchler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
An occupational surname for a baker who made small cakes or cookies. Derived from Middle High German kuoche "cake, pastry".

Kuhn
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a diminutive of the German given name Konrad.

Kundert
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Konrad.

Kunkel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for a maker of spindles (Middle German kunkel "spindle", ultimately from Latin conus "cone").

Kunkle
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Kunkel.

Kuntz
Usage: German
Derived from a nickname of Konrad.

Kunze
Usage: German
Derived from a nickname of the given name Konrad.

Kurzmann
Usage: German
Means "short man" in German.

Laberenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lafrentz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lafrenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Landau
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German town of Landau, which meant "land valley".

Lang
Usage: Danish, Norwegian, German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Scandinavian lang, Middle High German lanc and Middle Low German lank all meaning "long". Originally a nickname for a tall person or family.

Lange
Usage: Danish, Norwegian, German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Lang.

Langenberg
Usage: German, Swedish
Means "long mountain" in German.

Langer
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
German form of Long.

Larenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Laurenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lauritz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lawerenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lawrenz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Lorenz.

Lehmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Midle High German lehenman "vassal, liege man".

Lehrer
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
German surname meaning "teacher".

Leitner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Referred to one who dwells on the hillside; one who came from the Leite "slope". This is the name of several places in Germany.

Leitz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the archaic given name Leutz, a form of Lutz.

Leitzke
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from either Leitzkau, a town close to Magdeburg, Germany, or from Leitz.

Lenz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "springtime" in German, from a nickname.

Leverenz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Lorenz.

Lewerentz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lewerenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Lichtenberg
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Low German licht "light" and berg "hill".

Lieberenz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Linden
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German Linde meaning "lime tree".

Loewe
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Löwe.

Lohrenz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Lorenz.

Lorentz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Lorenz.

Lorenz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the German given name Lorenz.

Lorenzen
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Surname from northern Germany meaning "son of Lorenz".

Loris
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Loritz
Usage: German
Variant of Lorenz.

Löwe
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "lion" in German.

Ludwig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Ludwig. A famous bearer is the composer Ludwig von Beethoven who composed nine symphonies in addition to dozens of other pieces.

Luther
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Lothar.

Maas
Usage: Dutch, Low German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Maas.

Maier
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Meyer (1).

Mandel
Usage: German, Jewish
A variant of Mendel; also means "an almond" in German.

Mandelbaum
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "an almond tree" in German.

Mann
Usage: German, English
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "man". This may have originally been given in order to distinguish the bearer from a younger person with the same name.

Marquering
Usage: Dutch, German
Derived from the given name Marquer, which was in turn derived from Marquard. Marquard comes from Old German marka, which means "wall" (or "border") and "protector". So actually, the given name Marquard can be explained as "protector of the wall/border".

Marqueringh
Usage: Dutch, German
Variant of Marquering.

Marquerink
Usage: Dutch, German
Variant of Marquering.

Martel (1)
Usage: English, German
Derived from the given name Martel, a medieval pet form of Martin.

Martell (1)
Usage: English, French, German
A variant of Martel (1).

Martin
Usage: English, French, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Martin.

Martz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from an archaic pet form of Martin.

Mas (2)
Usage: German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
An aphetic form of Thomas.

Maurer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name meaning "wall builder" in German.

Maus
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "mouse" in German. From the word mûs (Middle High German, Old High German).

Mayer (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Meyer (1).

Meier
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Meyer (1).

Mein
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Meino.

Meindl
Usage: German
A diminutive form of Mein.

Meinhardt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Meinhard.

Meisner
Usage: German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
A variant of Meissner.

Meissner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "a person from Meissen, Germany".

Melsbach
Usage: German
German for "miller by the brook".

Mendel
Usage: Jewish, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Mendel.

Mendelsohn
Usage: Jewish, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "son of Mendel".

Mendelssohn
Usage: Jewish, German
Means "son of Mendel".

Messerli
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for a cutler (a knife maker), from German Messer "knife".

Messmann
Usage: German
Occupational surname for one who made knives, from German messer "knife".

Messner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname for a churchwarden.

Metz (1)
Usage: German
An occupational name for a cutler derived from Middle High German metze "knife".

Metz (2)
Usage: German
Derived from Mätz, a diminutive form of the given name Matthias.

Metzger
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "butcher" in German, given to people who practiced that profession.

Meyer (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle High German word mei(g)er which means "higher, superior" and was used for landholder's stewards or great farmers or leaseholders (nowadays a Meier is a dairy farmer). Meier and Meyer are used more often in Northern Germany while Maier and Mayer are used in Southern Germany.

Mohren
Usage: Dutch, German
Dutch and German form of Moore (2).

Möller
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German form of Müller.

Morgenstern
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German lexicon surname which means "morning star".

Moser
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Name for someone who lived near a peat bog, from the Middle High German word mos.

Mueller
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Müller.

Muhlfeld
Usage: German
Means "mill field" German.

Müller
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
German equivalent of Miller. Derived from Middle High German mülnære or müller.

Nagel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "nail" in German, and is probably related to the occupation of carpenter. Could also refer to a smith who specifically made nails.

Neuman
Usage: Jewish, German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Neumann.

Neumann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German niuwe and man "new man".

Nuremberg
Usage: German
Derived from the name of a city in Germany. It was first spelled Nurnberger and then Nuremberger.

Nussbaum
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "nut tree" from the Germanic words nuß meaning "nut" and baum meaning "tree".

Nussenbaum
Usage: German, Jewish
Variant of Nussbaum.

Oberst
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from the uppermost end of a village, top of a house" from the Middle High German ober, obar.

Oelberg
Usage: German
Means "oil hill" from the Germanic oel "oil" and berg "hill".

Ohme
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "uncle".

Oliver
Usage: Catalan, English, French, German, Scottish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the personal name Oliver.

Oppenheimer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from Oppenheim".

Ott
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Otto.

Otto
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Otto.

Oursler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Anglicized form of Ursler.

Pahlke
Usage: German
Means "tall, thin, pole-like" from the Old French piel, although it may also have denoted a person who lived by a pole, or who worked with poles.

Papke
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "pope" from the Latin papa. Usually denoting a pompous man or one who played the part in a play.

Papp (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "glutton" from the Late Latin pappare meaning "to eat".

Paulis
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
From the Roman family name Paulus (see Paul).

Pawlitzki
Usage: German
From the given name Paul. This family was found in West Prussia, in several locations.

Peter
Usage: English, German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Peter.

Peters
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Peter.

Pfaff
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
In the Middle Ages the priests in Germany were called Pfaff.

Pfenning
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the term pfenni(n)c or pfennig, meaning "penny." It was used in reference to feudal tax obligations.

Plank
Usage: German, English
Extra: Statistics
Means "plank" from the Latin plancus. This could have referred to a person who lived by a plank bridge over a stream, someone who was as thin as a board or a carpenter.

Pletcher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Name for someone who lived by a field where cattle fodder was grown or else grew cattle fodder, from the field name pletsch or bletsch.

Portner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from German pfoertner, which means "gatekeeper".

Prinz
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "prince", used as an ornamental surname by Jews or as a nickname for someone who acted in a 'princely' manner.

Protz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from an old German word meaning "snowy".

Rademacher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Rademaker.

Rademaker
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
From the old occupation of rademaker; the person who made raden (singular rad). Rad is the old Dutch word for "wheel".

Rapp (2)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "dark haired" or "raven-like".

Raske
Usage: Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Rask, used in Germany and the Netherlands.

Raskob
Usage: German
Variant of Raskoph.

Raskop
Usage: German
Variant of Raskoph.

Raskoph
Usage: German
From a nickname meaning "hot head". Occurs in the northern Eifel region in Rheinland.

Regenbogen
Usage: German, Jewish
From the German word meaning "rainbow".

Reier
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Royer.

Reiher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Royer.

Reiter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Reuter (1).

Rettig
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from Middle Low German redik for "radish". Therefore occupational, and applied to greengrocers.

Reuter (1)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller in a clearing" or "clearer of woodland" from the Middle High German riute.

Reuter (2)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "highwayman" from the Middle High German riutœre.

Richard
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Richard.

Richter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German rihtære meaning "judge".

Rier
Usage: English, German
Variant of Royer.

Riese
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "giant" from German Riese.

Ritter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German word ritter meaning "rider, knight", a cognate of Ryder.

Rose (1)
Usage: English, French, German, Scottish, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "rose" from the Middle English, Old French and Middle High German rose. All denote a person of a rosy complexion or a person who lived in a rosy area. Also found derived from the Yiddish royz which always referred to the flower.

Rosenberg
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "mountain of roses" in German.

Rosenberger
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Rosenberg.

Rosenfeld
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "field of roses" in German.

Rot
Usage: German, Jewish
Variant of Roth.

Roth
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German rot meaning "red". It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair.

Rothbauer
Usage: German
From Middle High German roten "to clear land" and bur or bure "farmer".

Rothenberg
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "red mountain" from the German rot meaning "red" and berg meaning "mountain".

Rothschild
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "red shield, sign" from the German rot "red" and the German/Yiddish s(c)hild "sign, shield". The surname originally comes from one family who took their name from a house with a red shield or sign on it but since has been adopted by unrelated Jews.

Sachs
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Old German sachs, which means "Saxon." The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Old Germanic word sahs meaning "knife". Famous bearers of this surname include Hans Sachs (1494-1576), a German poet, and Nelly Sachs (1891-1970), a Swedish dramatist and poet, who was awarded in 1966 with the Nobel prize for literature, poetry and plays about the Jewish people.

Saller (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from Sallern, Bavaria".

Saller (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "(dweller by) a sallow tree" from the Middle High German salhe.

Salomon
Usage: English, French, Venetian, German, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Jewish, Hungarian
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Salomon.

Salzwedel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from Salzwedel, Germany".

Samson
Usage: English, French, German, Jewish, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the name Samson.

Samuel
Usage: English, French, German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Samuel.

Sander
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Alexander.

Sauber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "clean" in German. Saüßer is the German spelling, Anglicized to Sauber.

Schäfer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German schæfære meaning "shepherd".

Scheer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From a word meaning "shearer" or "cutter". The word was used both for barbers, who cut hair, and tailors, who cut cloth to make garments.

Scheinberg
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "lovely, beautiful mountain" from the German schön "fine, beautiful" and berg meaning "mountain".

Schenck
Usage: German, Dutch, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German, Middle Dutch schenke meaning "wine server" (from Old High German scenken "to pour out"). As a German name it also denotes a tavernkeeper.

Schermer
Usage: Dutch, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name for a fencer or swordsman, akin to Old High German skirmen "to defend".

Schindler
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "shingler, roof tiler". A famous bearer is Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1,000 Polish Jews during WWII.

Schirmer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "fencer, fencing master" from the Old High German skirmen meaning "to defend".

Schlender
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "to dawdle" from the Middle High German slinderen or "to swallow, eat" from the Middle Low German slinden.

Schlimme
Usage: German
Means "bad" from the German schlimme.

Schlusser
Usage: German
Means "keeper of the keys" or "jailer" in German.

Schmeling
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "small, slender".

Schmid
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schmidt.

Schmidt
Usage: German, Hungarian
Extra: Statistics
From the occupation of schmied, which is "smith" or "metalworker" in English.

Schmitt
Usage: German, Hungarian
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schmidt.

Schmitz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schmidt. This variant comes from the Rhine area in western Germany.

Schneider (2)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "tailor" from the German schneider or Yiddish shnayder. A famous bearer of the surname is Austrian actress Romy Schneider, remembered for her performance as Sissi.

Schnoor
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schnur.

Schnur
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "rope maker" from the German schnur or Yiddish shnur.

Schoettmer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from Schötmar, Germany".

Schräder
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schrader.

Schrader
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle Low German schrader or schroder meaning "tailor".

Schreck
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "to frighten, jump" from the Middle High German schrecken.

Schreier
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
German/Yiddish word that means "screamer" or "shrieker" or "crier", perhaps an occupational name for a town crier. There are two main branches of people with the name: Lutherans from Bavaria, and Ashkenazic Jews from the area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire formerly known as Galicia, which is today in southwestern Ukraine.

Schröder (1)
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
In northern Germany: Variant of Schrader.

Schröder (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
In southern Germany: Variant of Schröter.

Schroeder
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schröder (1) and Schröder (2).

Schroeter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schröter.

Schröter
Usage: German
From Middle High German schrotaere meaning "a carrier of wine or beer barrels".

Schubert
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schuchard.

Schuchard
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German schuochwürhte, schuochworhte, or schuchwarte meaning "shoemaker".

Schuchardt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schuchard.

Schuchert
Usage: German
Variant of Schuchard.

Schuhmacher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle High German occupational name schuochmacher meaning "shoemaker".

Schuler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "scholar, student priest" from the German Schule meaning "school".

Schult
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German variant of Schultheiß.

Schulte
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German variant of Schultheiß.

Schultes
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Early New High German variant of Schultheiß.

Schultheis
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schultheiss
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schultheiß
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname derived from Middle High German schultheiße meaning "mayor, judge".

Schultz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schultze
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schulz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schulze
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schultheiß.

Schumacher
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schuhmacher.

Schuster
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle High German occupational name schuoster meaning "shoemaker".

Schuttmann
Usage: German
Means "watchman, guard" from the Middle High German schützen.

Schwangau
Usage: German
From a town in Germany that means "swan land".

Schwartz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schwarz.

Schwarz
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German swarz meaning "black". Originally described a person with black hair or a black complexion.

Schwarzenegger
Usage: German
Means "harrower of the dark fields" or "dark harrower of the fields" from the German schwarz meaning "dark, black" and egge meaning "harrow". A well known bearer of this name is actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Schwenke
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the Middle High German word swenke which means "to swing". This was probably a hint at the gait of the person. Alternatively, it can also be be derived from the given name Sweneke, a Low German form of the name Swanhild. One last theory states that it is derived from the town of Schwenke (situated in Nordrhein-Westfalen).

Schwinghammer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From German words for "swing" and "hammer." This was originally a nickname for a blacksmith.

Seelenfreund
Usage: German, Jewish
Middle High German vriunt, modern German freund, meaning "friend" and modern German seele, meaning "soul".

Seidel
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From the German word seidel meaning "beer mug".

Senft (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "mustard seller" from the German Senf(t).

Senft (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
A nickname for a helpful, kind person from the Middle High German senfte meaning "soft, accomodating".

Sheinfeld
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "lovely, beautiful field" from the German schön "fine, beautiful" and feld meaning "field".

Shriver
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational name referring to an official or public writer, from German schreiben "to write".

Siegel (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "maker of seals or signet rings".

Siegel (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from diminutive forms of Germanic names beginning with the element sigi meaning "victory".

Siekert
Usage: German
Derived from the given name Siegbert.

Siemon
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Simon.

Silverstein
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "silver stone" from German Silber + Stein. It was adopted when the Jews in Europe were compelled to take surnames in the early part of the 19th century.

Simen
Usage: German
Variant of Simon.

Simmon
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Simon.

Simon
Usage: Czech, Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the Hebrew first name Simon.

Simons
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Simon.

Sinasohn
Usage: German, Jewish
Variant of Sinason.

Siskin
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "sweet child" from the words suess meaning "sweet" and kind meaning "child".

Siskind
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Siskin.

Sitz (1)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a given name beginning with the Germanic element sigi meaning "victory".

Sitz (2)
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "house owner" from the Middle High German siz "seat, domicile".

Slusser
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Schlusser.

Solberg
Usage: Danish, German, Norwegian, Swedish
Extra: Statistics
From the Germanic elements sol "sun" combined with berg "mountain".

Sommer (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German sumer and Middle Low German sommer meaning "summer". Name for farmers who had to deliver their taxes in the summer or who had their fields in the south of the village.

Sommer (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German soumære, sommer and Middle Low German somer(e) meaning "sumpter, animal driver".

Sommer (3)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German sumber, sommer meaning "basket, wickerwork or drum".

Sommer (4)
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle Low German somer meaning "long and slim stake, pile, post".

Sonnen
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "sun" from the Middle High German sunne. Probably denoted someone of a cheerful temperament but in some cases could describe a person who lived in a sunny area.

Sorg
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Sorge.

Sorge
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "worry, care, anxiety" from the Middle High German sorge.

Spannagel
Usage: German
Means "nailsmith" from the Middle High German span-nagel "connecting bolt".

Specht
Usage: German, Dutch
Extra: Statistics
Means "woodpecker" in German and Dutch.

Spellmeyer
Usage: German
The second element meyer means "village headman". The first element is possibly from the Germanic spielen meaning "to play, jest". Perhaps it referred to someone who was playing or acting as the village headman.

Spitznogle
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "sharp nail" in German.

Sponaugle
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Americanized form of Spannagel.

Stark
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "strong, brave" in Old German and Old English.

Stauss
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "buttocks" from the Middle High German stuz.

Steen
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German variant of Stein.

Steffen
Usage: German, English
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Stephen.

Stein
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From the Old High German word stein meaning "stone". It is common in German-Jewish names like Bernstein and Orenstein.

Steinmann
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "stone man" either used as an occupational name for a stone worker, a habitational name for a man who lived by a stone or as a nickname for a strong man. It most commonly a habitational name.

Stenger
Usage: Danish, German
Extra: Statistics
Name for a post maker, from German stange "pole".

Sternberg
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller on a star(ry) hill, mountain" from the German stern "star" and berg "mountain, hill".

Steube
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Steuben.

Steuben
Usage: German
Means "dweller by a stump of a large tree".

Stieber
Usage: German
Derived from the High German verb stiuben "to escape". The name was given as a nickname to a cowardly person, or a thief.

Stoppelbein (1)
Usage: German
Means "stump leg" from the Middle Low German stoppel "stump" and bein "leg".

Stoppelbein (2)
Usage: German
Means "dweller by a tree stump on communal land" from the Middle Low German stoppel "stump" and bein(t) "communal land".

Strand
Usage: Danish, German, Norwegian
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle Low German word strand meaning "sea shore". Originally given to someone who lived on or near the sea.

Straub
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "rough, unkempt" from the Middle High German strup.

Strobel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "rough, unkempt" from the Middle High German str?b.

Strohkirch
Usage: German
Means literally "straw church" in German. Apparently it's a German translation of a Swedish aristocratic name.

Stroman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Occupational surname meaning "straw-dealer" in German.

Stuber
Usage: German
Derived from German die Stube "room". The name was most likely used to denote the owner of an inn.

Stueck
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "piece, part" from the Middle High German st?ck.

Stumpf
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "stump" from the Middle High German stumpf.

Sturm
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "storm".

Suess
Usage: German, Jewish
From a Jewish ornamental name from the Middle High German süss "sweet".

Sulzbach
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
This is a topynomic name, in that people with this name are named after the place they lived. During Charlemagne's time, Germany was mapped, with certain places being named for their geologic characteristics, for example Salzberg means "Salt Mountain". Areas named Sulzbach were named such because the area had salty water, hence the name meaning "salty brook".

Swango
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Americanized variation of the German surname Schwangau.

Switzer
Usage: German, Swiss
Extra: Statistics
A topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

Tangeman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "from Tange, Oldenburg" or "(dweller on) a sandy ridge between moors" from the Middle High German tange.

Teufel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From a nickname meaning "devil", given to a mischevious person or one who is devil-like.

Tiedeman
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the given name Diederick.

Tifft (1)
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Toft.

Tillens
Usage: Dutch, Flemmish, German
From the Germanic name Thietilo, a medieval pet form of Dietrich.

Tobias
Usage: English, French, German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From the personal name Tobias.

Tolkien
Usage: German
Derived from the Saxon Tollkühn, meaning "foolhardy". A famous bearer was author J. R. R. Tolkien.

Tresler
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "treasurer".

Tritten
Usage: German, Swiss
Extra: Statistics
Topographic name for someone who lived by a step or flight of steps, from Middle High German trit "step".

Trumbauer
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics

Tschida
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from a Slavic given name of unknown origin.

Unkle
Usage: German
Means "from Unkel". Unkel is a place in Rhineland Palantinate, located about 15 kilometers south of Bonn on the Rhine.

Unruh
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Refers to a restless, fidgety, nervous person, from German unruhe, meaning "unrest".

Unterbrink
Usage: German
Means "dweller under the slope, edge" from the Middle Low German unter "under" and brinc "edge, slope".

Ursler
Usage: German
Means "from Ursel, Germany".

Vann (2)
Usage: Dutch, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller by a water (a freshwater lake)" from the Middle High German vann.

Van Tonder
Usage: German
Means "from Tonder, Denmark".

Venetianer
Usage: German, Italian, Jewish
Probably one of the few surnames with an unique known ancestor - Mr. Alexsandor Vinazie, a Jewish gentlemen who possibly emigrated from Venice to the town of Liptovsky Mikulas in a region which today is known as the Slovak Republic. Vinazie was later germinized to its present form Venetianer.

Victor
Usage: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the male given name Victor.

Vieth
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Vito.

Vogel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German vogel meaning "bird". Originally a nickname for a happy person.

Vogt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the Middle High German occupational name voget, vogt, voit meaning "overseer, bailiff, lawyer".

Vogts
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Voigt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Vogt.

Voigts
Usage: German
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Volk
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from given names that began with the Germanic element folk meaning "people".

Voll (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Volk.

Von Brandt
Usage: German
Means "(dweller in an) area cleared by fire" from the Middle High German brant.

Von Essen
Usage: German
Means "from Essen (a city in Germany)" in German.

Von Grimmelshausen
Usage: German
Means "from Grimmel's houses", from von, the German word "from"; Grimmel, a name or place, alternatively a word of uncertain meaning; hausen, the plural of the word for "house".

Von Ingersleben
Usage: German
Means "from Ingersleben, Germany". Ingersleben means "Inge's village".

Vonnegut
Usage: German
Possibly means "(dweller by the) good hunting track" from the Germanic vonn "hunting track" and gut "good".

Von Wegberg
Usage: German
German surname meaning "of Wegberg". Wegberg is a small town in the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany, close to the border of Germany-The Netherlands.

Voss
Usage: Low German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle Low German vos meaning "fox". Originally a nickname for a very clever person or for a person with red hair.

Voß
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Voss.

Wägner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wagner.

Wagner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German wagener meaning "cartwright". Borne by German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883).

Wähner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wagner.

Wahner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wagner.

Waldfogel
Usage: German, Jewish
Means "forest bird". Derived from the Old High German words wald, meaning "forest" and fogal meaning "bird".

Waldvogel
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant spelling of Waldfogel.

Walkenhorst
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the place name Falkenhorst in Germany, which means "wooded hill inhabited by falcons".

Walter
Usage: English, German
Extra: Statistics
Derived from the first name Walter.

Walther
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Walther.

Waltz
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Diminutive of Walther.

Warner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Werner.

Waxweiler
Usage: German
Denoted a person from Waxweiler, a village in the Eifel region of Germany 20 km north of Trier.

Weber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Weeber, used more commonly today in Germany.

Wechsler
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "money changer, banker" from the German word Geldwechsler "money changer".

Wedekind
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From an Old German given name composed of the elements witu "woods" and chind "child".

Weeber
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German for "weaver".

Wegener
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German variant of Wagner.

Wegner
Usage: German, Low German
Extra: Statistics
Low German variant of Wagner.

Wehner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wagner.

Wehunt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Americanized form of German Weigand, which is a variant of Wiegand.

Weigand
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wiegand.

Weiman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "wine seller, producer" from the German Wein, Middle High German w?n.

Weiner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wagner.

Weiss
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German wiz meaning "white". Originally a nickname for a person with white hair or skin.

Weiß
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Weiss.

Welter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Walter.

Werner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Werner.

Wernerus
Usage: German
Latinized form of Werner.

Wernher
Usage: German
Variant of Werner.

Westerberg
Usage: Swedish, German
Extra: Statistics
Means "west of the mountain", originally referring to a person who lived there.

Wetterman
Usage: German
Means "weatherman" perhaps referring to someone who foretold the weather, from the German wetter.

Wetzel
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the given name Wenzel.

Wexler
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wechsler.

Wieck
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "dweller in an outlying settlement that was dependent on a larger village" from the Latin vicus.

Wiegand
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Means "noble and worthy". From the Breton personal name Wiucon.

Wildgrube
Usage: German
Possibly means "dweller by the wild (animal's) den" from the German grube "hollow, pit" and wild "wild, untamed".

Winter
Usage: English, German, Swedish
Extra: Statistics
From the Old English winter or the Old High German wintar (Middle High German winter) meaning "winter". This was the name of farmers who had to deliver their taxes in winter time and of farmers who had their fields in the north of the village.

Winther (1)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
From the German first name Winther (Old High German winid "Wend, Sorb" + heri "army").

Winther (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Winter.

Wirner
Usage: German
Variant of Werner.

Wirnhier
Usage: German
Variant of Werner.

Wirt
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wirth.

Wirth
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Means "innkeeper" from the German Wirt "host".

Wolf
Usage: German, English
Extra: Statistics
From Middle High German wolf meaning "wolf".

Wolff
Usage: German, Norwegian, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Wolf.

Wolter
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Walter.

Wörner
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Werner.

Wörnhör
Usage: German
Variant of Werner.

Wruck
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Nickname from Middle Low German wruk or wrok, meaning "cantankerous". Although it could also be related to the German word wruck meaning "root of a tree" or "beetroot".

Wyman (2)
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Americanized form of Weiman.

Zellweger
Usage: German
Means “from Zellweg,” a location in Germany. The place name Zellweg means “path to a small monatery, chamber” from the German zelle “small chamber, monastery” and weg “path, way”. A famous bearer of this name is actress Renee Zellweger.

Zilberschlag
Usage: German, Jewish
An occupational surname for a silversmith from Yiddish zilber "silver" and schlag "strike".

Zimmerman
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics
Variant of Zimmermann.

Zimmermann
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics
From the German word for "carpenter", derived from Middle High German zimber "timber, wood" and mann "man".

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