Surname Otting - Meaning and Origin
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Otting: What does the surname Otting mean?
The last name Otting is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word otin, meaning “poverty” or “meagerness”. It is most commonly found in parts of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
The surname Otting is first recorded in the famous 12th century German book Pi-wirt des Auffgangenn Entlich, in which a Voget von Ottingen is documented. This branch of the Otting family is believed to originate in Bavaria. Over time, members of this family expanded out to the Frankfurt area and in the early 17th century, some moved to Groningen, Netherlands.
The Otting surname can also be found in Jewish contexts, as it is a variant of the Hebrew name Otanas. This variation became popularized among the Jewish population of Moravia and Hungary in the 15th century.
Additionally, members of the Otting family have settled in the United States throughout the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. As of 2020, most Otting families are found in the Midwest and old New England states.
The Otting name is a symbol of resiliency and perseverance, as its numerous holders have managed to spread from Germany to the United States over the course of centuries. For those who bear the name, Otting speaks to their Germanic and perhaps even Jewish heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisOtting: Where does the name Otting come from?
The last name Otting is most commonly found today in Germany and Austria. The last name originated in Old German and is derived from the Germanic personal name "Otto". A historical origin of the surname dates back to ancient Baden-Wurttemberg area, where it is recorded in church registers dating back to the 15th century.
Today, Otting is found most prevalently among German-speaking countries, such as Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. It is the least common in Northern Europe. In Germany, Otting is estimated to have about 500 active inhabitants, many of whom are likely living in the southern region of Bavaria.
In the United States, where Otting was a more common surname among early German and Dutch immigrants, it is now found particularly Common in Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois.
People with the Otting surname are often found in various areas of the arts, such as music, literature and television. Notable people with the Otting surname include Jürgen Oetting, a German physicist, and Christoph Otting, a German-American businessman and former CEO of Mercer Investments.
Variations of the surname Otting
The surname Otting has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These may include Ottig, Ottigin, Otting, Ottingen, Ottingin, Oetting, Oettinger, Ottin, Oten, and Othen. The surname Otting is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German Personal Name "Otto," which was brought to many parts of the world by German settlers in the 13th century.
The surname Otting is indicative of a person or family traceable to an ancestor who bore the name Otto. It is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from the name of the father of the initial bearer. Early records of the surname date back to the 13th century in Bavaria, Germany, where the family was a significant contributor to the region’s feudal society.
The spelling variants of the surname include “Ötting”, which is a version found in eastern and holiday regions of Germany. There is also a Dutch form of the surname: “Ooting”. Additional versions derived from the name include the Scottish “Otin” and “Othen”, which are both found in Scotland.
Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Otting can also be found in many other regional areas of the world including Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, England, and Scotland. The surname is recorded in most English-speaking countries including the United States, Canada, and Australia. No matter where the name is found, the surname has always had strong German roots and was traditionally used a patronymic surname.
Famous people with the name Otting
- Patrick Otting: Former Global Director of Sales at the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and Former Director of Global Sales at the Jones Lang LaSalle.
- Anna Otten: Professional athlete who has competed in the sport of Bobsleigh.
- Jim Otting: Retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and former Rear Admiral in the United States Coast Guard.
- Lukas Otten: Professional soccer player for the Dutch first division club Willem II.
- Ron Ottinger: Professional golfer who qualified in the PGA Tour Latin America from 2003 to 2008.
- Kelly Ottinger: Researcher and expert in green infrastructure systems, natural resource management and watershed planning.
- Tim Ottinger: Software craftsman, coach, mentor and entrepreneur specializing in helping organizations achieve sustainable software development.
- Jean Ottinger: American seismologist, geophysicist, philosopher and author.
- Wayland T. Ottinger: U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania who served in Congress from 1879 to 1883.
- Joshua P. Ottinger: Former Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue from 1977 to 1979.