Surname Zäuner - Meaning and Origin
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Zäuner: What does the surname Zäuner mean?
The last name Zäuner is an archaic form of zunner, which is an old German occupational surname for someone who makes or repairs silverware or jewelry. The literal meaning of zunner is "one who pinches, plaits or twists metal," which refers to a practitioner of a craftsman's art. Zäuner is derived from the Old German zun, meaning “plait” or “pinch”.
The surname Zäuner may have derived from Germanic roots that originated in the Middle Ages. During this time, craftsmen were important to the culture, as they created many useful items for daily life. People with this surname likely had an important role in the economy, as they were responsible for creating jewelry or silverware. They would have also been highly respected members of their community.
The Zäuner surname started to appear sporadically in records in the 1400s, with the earliest mention being found in a 1442 certificate from the city of Dortmund, Germany. During the 1700s and 1800s, the Zäuner surname continued to spread throughout Europe, primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking countries.
Today, the Zäuner surname is still found mainly in Germany, but can also be seen across many other parts of Europe, as well as in North America and other parts of the world. Those who bear the Zäuner name today are likely descendants of someone who crafted or repaired jewelry or silverware centuries ago.
Order DNA origin analysisZäuner: Where does the name Zäuner come from?
The last name Zäuner is most common today in Germany and Austria. It is derived from the German word "Zauner" which means "fencer" and was originally a name for someone who constructed or maintained fences. The name rose in popularity in the 18th century, so today there are many variations of the surname, including Zauner, Zeyer, Zoyer, Zaeuner, Zaeuner, Zäuner, and Tzaner.
The largest concentrations of people with the last name Zäuner can be found in Germany and Austria, where it is most common. According to Forebears, in 2019, Zäuner was the 11,990th most common name globally, with 742 people carrying the name in Germany alone. Of these people, the majority live in the state of Bavaria. In Austria, Zäuner ranked as the 1,934th most common surname, with 313 people bearing the name.
Other than Germany and Austria, the surname can also be found in other countries in Europe, such as The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Czech Republic, where it is less common. It can also be found in the United States, Canada, and other countries around the world due to German emigration.
Overall, the last name Zäuner is most prevalent today in Germany and Austria, but can be found in other countries as well.
Variations of the surname Zäuner
The Zäuner surname is of German origin and is derived from the Middlehigh German word "zoener," meaning carpenter or joiner. Alternate spellings of Zäuner include Zauner, Zowner, Zohner, and Zoner.
Variants of this surname can also be seen as Dzener, Sener, Zener, Zenero, Zenor, and Zehner. In some cases, national variants can be used, such as Sounier (French) and Saunier (Basque).
Another variant is Tschoner, derived from the shortened form of the name ‘Tzäuner’, which is the plural form for Zäuner. This variation developed from the contraction of the two words ‘tz’ and ‘äuners’.
The last variant of the Zäuner surname is Thuner. A possible explanation for this variant is that over time it became used as a reference to a person's trade or role in the community; in this case, the person could have been a carpenter or joiner working with timber.
Various other surnames are derived from this original name as well, such as Dzauner, Zauners, Zaeners, Zeners, Zunnemann, Zunner, Zunio, Dzoniers, Zaunerly, and Zaunere. Some of these surnames are derived from the Germanic language and its variations while others are the result of phonetic variants of the original surname.
All in all, there are a number of different variants, spellings and surnames that have stemmed from the original Zäuner surname. These variations of the name, however, allude to the same traditional origin.
Famous people with the name Zäuner
- Sabrina Zäuner: German actress
- Michael Zäuner: Austrian footballer
- Lukas Zäuner: German producer and music producer
- Stijn Zäuner: Belgian hurdler
- Jan Zäuner: Swiss sculptor
- Peter Zäuner: Austrian physicist and doctor
- Benjamin Zäuner: Austrian composer
- Franziska Zäuner: German opera singer
- Dieter Zäuner: Austrian ski racer
- Joachim Zäuner: German economist