Surname Loewendorf - Meaning and Origin
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Loewendorf: What does the surname Loewendorf mean?
The last name Loewendorf is a German surname originating from the Middle Ages. It is a topographical surname derived from the German word “loewe”, meaning lion, and “dorf”, meaning village or settlement. This indicates that the original bearer of the name was likely a resident of, or associated with, a settlement containing a lion.
The surname can be found in records dating back to 1591, when one Georg Loewendorf was mentioned in a book on the history of the city of Kiel in Germany. In the 1900s, the name was most commonly found in the area of Baindt in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
The name Loewendorf may have also been taken on as a reference to the biblical story of Samson, with whom the lion is closely associated. It is possible that the family associated itself with this story, thus taking on the name Loewendorf.
The surname Loewendorf is still used today in Germany, mainly in the state of Baden-Württemberg as well as in northern Hesse and Lower Saxony. It is not yet an especially common name, though is growing in popularity due to the prominence of the lion in popular culture.
Order DNA origin analysisLoewendorf: Where does the name Loewendorf come from?
The last name Loewendorf is most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking countries, particularly the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is also found in small numbers in the United States, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
The Loewendorf surname is thought to have originated in Germany, where most of the nameholders still live today. It is thought to be derived from the German words "lau" (meaning meadow) and "dorf" (meaning village). So it is likely that the nameholders were originally unfree peasants who lived and worked in a particular meadow-village.
In 1871, the German Empire was founded and it is likely that, as with many other Germans, many Loewendorfs moved away from their homeland during this time in search of better work opportunities. Most Loewendorfs who left Germany emigrated to the United States, but there are also small numbers in other countries around the world, particularly in Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, Loewendorf is most commonly found in the Midwest and Northeast. In the Northeast, it is especially common in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. In the Midwest, it is commonly found in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.
In Canada, smaller numbers of Loewendorfs are found in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
In Australia, Loewendorf is primarily found in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria.
In Europe, Loewendorfs are primarily found in Germany, while smaller numbers may be found in Belgium, Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
Though the Loewendorf surname originated in Germany, it may be found in many other countries around the world today.
Variations of the surname Loewendorf
The surname Loewendorf is of German origin, and is derived from a toponymic surname which refers to a place of residence. Variants for this surname include: Löwendorf, Löwendorff, Löwendörfer, Lowendörfer, Löwendorfer, and Loewendorf.
The spelling of this surname depends on the language being used. For example, Loewendorf is the spelling commonly used in English, but it is also spelled Löwendorf in German.
Originally, the surname Loewendorf would have referred to someone from the place of the same name. Loewendorf is a municipality in the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen in Bavaria, Germany.
The use of suffixes such as "-er" or "-orfer" is typical in many German surnames. This suffix indicated an origin from the place named. Therefore, names such as Löwendorfer, Loewendorfer, and Lowendörfer are geographically derived surnames that refer to someone who was originally from a place called Loewendorf.
Variations such as Löwendörfer are also found. This is a dialectal variant in which the "Ö" sound is represented by the letter "e". This is also a common variant in many parts of Germany and Austria.
In other words, the surnames Loewendorf, Löwendorf, Löwendorff, Löwendörfer, Lowendörfer, Löwendorfer, and variations of these spellings all refer to someone from the village of Loewendorf in Bavaria, Germany.
Famous people with the name Loewendorf
- Robert Loewendorf: This former East German football player competed in the 1968 Olympics for East Germany and had several successes with his club Dynamo East Berlin.
- Lauren Loewendorf: Lauren is an American tattoo artist and television personality, most recently appearing on the show Best Ink.
- Junko Loewendorf: A Japanese molecular biologist and genetic engineer, Junko has been a professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology since 2005.
- Annett Loewendorf: Another East German athlete, Annett was a speed skater who competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. 5.Friedericke Loewendorf: A German photographer, Friedericke has exhibitions all over the world and her work is part of the Art Collection of the State of Thuringia in Germany. 6.Gundula Loewendorf: Gundula is a German film producer and entrepreneur, having founded her own film production company in 2008.
- Mark Loewendorf: Mark is an American film producer and motion designer. His credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Ready Player One, and The Girl on the Train.
- Gerard Loewendorf: A former professional American Football Player, Gerard played with the San Diego Chargers and had several different coaching jobs in his career.
- Carl Loewendorf: Carl is a German cinematographer who has worked on films such as Winterx, Schtünde, and The Great Holiday Story.
- Sarah Loewendorf: Sarah is an American voice actress who has worked on shows such as The Loud House, Rugrats, and Bob’s Burgers.