Surname Stephans - Meaning and Origin
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Stephans: What does the surname Stephans mean?
The last name Stephans is of German origin and is derived from the given name Stephan. The name Stephan derives from the Greek Stephanos, which means “crown” or “garland.” This surname likely originated from a family who had someone of high social standing or achievement in the Middle Ages.
The name Stephans is the German adoption of the French surname "Stéphane" and was common in Germany during the Middle Ages. Many variants of the name exist, including Stephon, Steffen, Steevens, Stief, Steffens, Steffan, Steffen, and Steffens.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name came in the form of Stephanus de Sensthal, in the Munich court documents of 1252, from Bavaria, Germany. Records have also been found in the borough of Wernigerode, in Germany, during the 16th century.
Stephans is generally considered to be an occupational surname, derived from the term “stephanus,” which refers to an attendant found in the stables of the nobility. This designation was likely given to the family because of someone’s work in the court stables or due to some position of service in a royal court.
Today, Stephans is a common surname that can be found in Germany and many countries throughout the world, and there are many people who proudly carry on this family name.
Order DNA origin analysisStephans: Where does the name Stephans come from?
The surname Stephans can be found in several different countries, but is most common in the United States and Germany. The United States has the most occurrences of this surname, with over 2000 people carrying the name - mostly in California, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania.
In Germany, Stephans is the 32nd most common surname, with more than 22,500 people bearing the name. It is particularly prominent in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein and the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg.
The Stephans surname is also found in other places around Europe, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, and Ukraine. People with the name can also be found in places such as Australia and Canada due to migration patterns throughout the years.
The name Stephans is of German origin, derived from the personal name Stephanus, which is connected to the Greek word Stephanein meaning “crown". Thus the name Stephans would be seen as meaning “the son or descendant of Stephen" or “the crown".
Variations of the surname Stephans
The surname Stephans has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant of Stephans is Stephens. This variant is often used in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. It originates from the Hebrew given name, Stefan, meaning “crown” or “garland”.
In many German-speaking areas, the surname is spelled Stefan. This form is commonly found in Germanic, Dutch and Scandinavian countries.
Similar-sounding surnames of the same origin include Steffan, Steffen, Stieven and Staaf. These German variants are derived from the given name Stefan.
In the United Kingdom, Stefan may be found spelled Steffon, Stean or Steen. These are Anglicized forms derived from Stefan.
In Ireland, the surname is often spelled O’Stephain, Stephane or Stephan. These spellings are derived from the Gaelic name Mac Stiofain. Mac Stiofain is the Anglicized form of Mac Stefain meaning "son of Stephan."
In Poland, Stephans may be found spelled Sztyfany and Sztyfanowicz. These Polish variants are derived from the Polish given name Szczepan, which is derived from Stefan.
Stephans may also be found in Russian-speaking countries spelled Stefanyuk, Stefanyk, Stefanyev and Stefanchuk. These variants are derived from the given name Stefen, which is a Russian form of Stefan.
No matter what the spelling, Stephans is the derived English name from the many forms of the German given name Stefan.
Famous people with the name Stephans
- Jami Trott Stephans: a singer-songwriter and reality television celebrity best known for appearing on the reality series Marrying Millions and the talent show concept show The Four.
- Justin Stephans: a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League.
- Nick Stephans: a professional mixed martial arts fighter and registered nurse currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
- Mark Stephans: an American soccer coach and a two-time Major Indoor Soccer League champion as a player.
- Kyle Stephans: an American professional football player who plays full-back or cornerback for the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
- Scott Stephans: a gridiron football executive who is currently the general manager of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
- Dre Stephans: a Canadian professional football defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
- Sydnee Stephans: an American former artistic gymnast and the 2007 All-Around National Champion.
- Robert Stephans: a New Jersey-based drummer and percussionist who has been a member of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra since 2015.
- Nicholas Stephans: an Australian Paralympic athlete who has competed in a variety of wheelchair racing events at the Paralympic Games.