Surname Clostermann - Meaning and Origin

Clostermann: What does the surname Clostermann mean?

The last name Clostermann is a German surname thought to have been derived from the Germanic elements "Kloster," meaning monastery, and "mann," meaning man. It is likely that the name originated as an occupational surname referring to someone who worked at a monastery or it may have referred to someone who lived near a monastery. It is also possible that the surname originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived in or near a closed area such as a cloister.

There is also a German noble family called the Clostermann family. This branch of the family is thought to have been descended from the Germanic tribe of the Franks back in the 10th century. There are records of a certain Thilo Clostermann, a nobleman who lived in Cranenburg near Bochum, in the 11th century. The family is now scattered all over the world, with branches in Europe, North & South America, Australia and Asia.

Clostermann is still a popular surname today, and is especially common in areas of Germany and the United States. While it is unknown exactly how far back the family line goes, it is likely that the Clostermann family has a long and varied history.

Clostermann: Where does the name Clostermann come from?

The last name Clostermann is most commonly associated with Germany and surrounding European countries, particularly to those of German ancestry. The name itself has numerous meanings, including “lock keeper” and “closed area”.

Today, the last name Clostermann is not common in many parts of Europe, but it does still exist in some places. In Germany itself the name can be found most often in Bavaria, which was the ancestral seat of the Clostermann family. It is also present, albeit rarely, in many other parts of Germany, such as Lower Saxony, Thuringia, and Baden-Württemberg.

In the United States, Clostermann is most commonly seen in communities with a large concentration of people with German heritage. Many people of German descent immigrated from Europe to the United States between the 16th and 19th centuries, and with them came the name Clostermann.

In Australia, the name is very rare, but is still present in the states of New South Wales and Western Australia in particular.

As well as these countries, the name Clostermann is also still present in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and many other countries.

Variations of the surname Clostermann

Clostermann is a German surname of occupational origin, derived from the Old German words “closterman” or “clostermeister”, meaning “monastery steward”. It is found primarily in the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Baden-Wurttemberg. It can also be found in the United States and the Netherlands, as a number of German immigrants moved to these countries in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Variants, spellings and surnames derived from Clostermann include Cloosterman, Cloostermans, Cloistermans, Klosterman, Klostermans, Kloosterman, Kloostermans, Clostermanne, Kloostermanne, Cloostermanne, and Klostermanne. German-Jewish variations include Kleinclosterman and Kleincloster.

Due to its occupational derivation, the name can also be found with alternate spellings such as Cluistermaan, Cluttermans, Clutterman, Collecterman, Kloosterholder, Kloosterman, Kloosterman-Beringer, Kloster, Klosterman, Klosterhof, Kloosterman-Baart, Closterman, and Kolstermann.

The use of nicknames or diminutive forms can also change the spelling slightly, such as Closterman, Closter, and Clostermeier. A double-barrelled combination can create versions such as Von Kloster-Man.

The different language variations of Clostermann can also change the spelling, such as the Dutch variations Kolsterman and Kolstermans, and the French variations Clustermann and Clusterman.

Famous people with the name Clostermann

• Kurt Clostermann: He was a successful German World War II fighter pilot. He flew with JG-52 and JV-44 until the end of the war, becoming one of Germany's top aces and earning the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
• Rudolf Clostermann: Rudolf Clostermann was a German Luftwaffe ace, the author of two well-known autobiography, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
• Eduard von Clostermann: Eduard von Clostermann was a German fighter pilot of WWI. Clostermann flew with Jagdgeschwader I, Jagdgeschwader II, and Jagdgeschwader IV before being shot down and taken prisoner on 6 April 1918.
• Erhard Clostermann: Erhard Clostermann, Karl Clostermann's son, was one of the few= Germans to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for exemplary air warfare.
• Ewald-Heinrich von Clostermann: Ewald-Heinrich von Clostermann was a German World War II fighter pilot who flew with JG 11 from 1941 to 1945. He is known as one of the most successful German pilots of the war, having achieved 206 total victories.
• Karl Clostermann: Karl Clostermann was a German acrobat and aviator who achieved notoriety as a pioneer of the air. He flew with the military of five countries in both world wars and was decorated with Germany's highest military award, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Other surnames

Clostermeyer