Surname Lichtenberg - Meaning and Origin

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U. Lichtenberg

Lichtenberg: What does the surname Lichtenberg mean?

The last name Lichtenberg is of German origin and is derived from the German phrase “lichten Berg,” meaning “light mountain.” The surname was first found in Westphalia, in the area of Duderstadt and Sollingen.

The term “lichten Berg” likely originated to describe a type of geographic feature found in the area. In these mountainous regions, the highest peaks are often called “Lichtenberg” due to the fact that they rise dramatically higher than the rest of the landscape. Passengers traveling along the road often noted these high hills and named them accordingly.

The Lichtenberg surname is quite distinct and prominent in German culture. Many prominent families from the Medieval era onward have borne this surname.

Today, the surname is spread throughout the world, and often associated with German ancestry. People with this name can be found in many countries across the globe, from Russia to the United States. In the United States, the leading state with the highest concentration of people with the last name Lichtenberg is California.

In conclusion, the German name Lichtenberg means “light mountain,” describing the high peaks found in the mountainous regions of Westphalia. The surname has a long, storied history, and is now found in many countries across the world, with a particularly significant concentration of people with the name based in California.

Lichtenberg: Where does the name Lichtenberg come from?

The last name Lichtenberg is most common today in Germany, specifically in the former East Germany, where many of the Lichtenberg family originate. Koch and Kramer are two of the most common East German surnames, but Lichtenberg is not far behind. According to genealogical records, the first Lichtenbergs in Germany appeared in the 14th century, in the area near modern-day Berlin.

The name spread throughout Germany during the 16th and 17th centuries, with most of the Lichtenbergs settling in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Today, Berlin is home to the highest concentration of Lichtenbergs in Germany, but their name can also be found scattered across the country.

The Lichtenberg name has also spread far beyond Germany’s borders. Many Germans emigrated to the US throughout the 19th century, and many of these emigrants were of the Lichtenberg family. One of the most famous Lichtenbergs in the US is Professor Emeritus Franklin Fearing from Princeton University. As of 2020, the Lichtenbergs make up a small percentage of the total US population, but the name is still common in some parts of the country, particularly in New York and California.

Overall, the last name Lichtenberg is most common in Germany, but it can be found scattered in other countries as a result of the German diaspora.

Variations of the surname Lichtenberg

The surname Lichtenberg is derived from the German words “Licht”, meaning “light”, and “Berg”, meaning hill or mountain, and originated as a toponymic, or place-specific, name.

Variants of this surname include Lichtemberg, Lichtman, Lichty, Lichtyman, Lichtig, Lichtmeier, Lichtmano, Lichtweber, Lichtbier and Lichtmann.

Surnames with similar spellings and origins also exist, such as Lichtensteger, Lichtenster, Lichtenstein and Lichtenstetter.

Other surnames with a similar origin include Lichtsinn, Lichtenfels and Lichtermann.

Some surnames derived from Lichtenberg have been anglicized, such as Lightman, which is derived from Lichtman.

The surnames Licthman, Ligtmich, Lickman, Likman and Liechtenstein are all related to Lichtenberg.

In some cases, a surname derived from Lichtenberg may have derived from multiple forebears, such as the surnames Lichtenberger and Lichtenbarger, which both may have derived from both the surnames Lichtenberg and Berger.

Altogether, there are many surnames that derive from Lichtenberg, all of which have their own unique spelling or spelling variation. It is possible that many of these related surnames could be found across different parts of the world, as many of the original Lichtenberg families spread out over time.

Famous people with the name Lichtenberg

• Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742: 1799), German physicist and satirist
• Lawrence Lichtenberg (1917: 1987), American artist
• John Lichtenberg (born 1954), American Professor of Psychology
• Robert Lichtenberg (born 1952), American professor of Economics
• Aldo Lichtenberg (born 1979), Brazilian racing driver
• Franko Lichtenberg (1912: 1945), German member of the White Rose resistance group
• Norman Lichtenberg (1917: 2004), Associate Director of the US Census Bureau
• Jens Lichtenberg (born 1971), German Biblical scholar
• Kay Lichtenberg (1918: 2001), German literature professor
• Philipp von Lichtenberg (born 1985), German entrepreneur and investor

Other surnames

Lichtenberger