Surname Abbenzeller - Meaning and Origin
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Abbenzeller: What does the surname Abbenzeller mean?
The surname Abbenzeller is derived from the German language, and translates to mean "abbot seller." It is generally thought to be a professional or occupational surname, referring to a seller of clothing or other goods associated with abbots, which is a ranking member in certain monasteries or churches, and usually holds elected administrative positions within the religious institution.
Abbenzeller is a relatively rare surname, and there are many variants including Abnezeller, Apfelzeller, and Avanzeller. The surname is most common in Germany and Austria, and is also present in other European countries such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
It is possible to trace the history of the name to the 12th century when it was used by a family known as the “von Abbenzeller,” who originated from Austria. Records indicate that members of the family were involved in trade and commerce, and references to the family name are found in local business documents.
The modern form of the Abbenzeller surname may have originated from a combination of the old German word for abbot, “abt,” with the suffix “zeller,” meaning "seller." Abbenzeller is the most prevalent spelling used today, but with such a wide variety of spellings, the history of the Abbenzeller surname may be more complicated than assumed.
Order DNA origin analysisAbbenzeller: Where does the name Abbenzeller come from?
The last name Abbenzeller is most commonly found in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany today. According to the US-based genealogy website, Ancestry, the name Abbenzeller is most commonly found in Austria, with an estimated 12,770 persons with this name currently living in the country. It also ranked highly as one of the top surnames in Switzerland, with an estimated 2,731 persons using this name in the country. Similarly, the name is also found in Germany, although in much lower numbers than in the former two countries.
For those interested in finding out more about the origin of the name, records show it was first recorded in the 13th century, when a knight with this surname was documented in Frankenmarkt, Austria. Since then, the name has been slowly gaining popularity, with a rising number of Abbenzellers living across the continent.
The spelling of the name has also changed over time. In the early centuries, the name could have been spelled ‘Abenzeller’, ‘Abentzell’ or ‘Abinetzeler’. Nowadays, when translating the name into English, the most commonly used spelling is Abbenzeller.
Given that the name originates from Austria, Swiss and German speaking countries, it’s certainly possible to find Abbenzellers living in other parts of the world. In particular, it’s a popular name among the many Austrian and German Immigrants to the United States. It’s also common among the many migrant workers living and working in the English-speaking world.
Variations of the surname Abbenzeller
The German surname Abbenzeller is derived from the old German word ‘Abban’ meaning ‘apple’. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include:
Abbenzoller, Abbenzell, Abbenzelle, Abenzele, Abanzeller, Abenzeller, Abanzeler, Abenzeiler, Abbanzeller, Abanzeler, Abenzeler, Ebbanzeller, Ebenzeller, Ebbenzeller, Ebbenzeller.
The surname can also be spelled as Abbenzer, Abenzer, Abanzer, Abenzor, Abbanzer, Abanzer, Abenzer, Ebbanzer, Ebbenzer, Ebbenzer, Ebbenzer, Ebenzer, Abbinder, Abinder, Abinder and Ebbinder.
There are several versions of the surname with similar sounding, but differently spelt prefix and suffix words such as Abbenhauer, Abbenhoffer, Abbenheuer, Abbensohler, Abbenson and Abbensmann.
The name can also be found in many places across Europe, with slightly different spellings, including Abbens, Abess, Abes, Abinzano, Abenzano, Abbanes, Abens, Abenss, Abenz, Abinz, Etchebens, Ahben, Ahbenz, Aeben, Aebenz, Atzebens and Abeins.
This surname can also have several different spellings depending on the country of origin, including Abenez, Abenas, Abeness, Abons, Abouse, Abbing, Avinger, Aving, Avinger and Aufenstein.
In some places, the surname is also pronounced differently, like Avinger or Aubings. Regardless of the spelling, the name has retained its original meaning of 'apple'.
Famous people with the name Abbenzeller
- Reinhard Abbenzeller: Austrian ski mountaineer.
- Martin Abbenzeller: German luger.
- Bernd Abbenzeller: German actor and director.
- Johannes Abbenzeller: German supervisory board member of Volkswagen AG.
- Erwin Abbenzeller: Austrian film and television actor.
- Richard Abbenzeller: Austrian Olympic skier.
- Henrik Abbenzeller: Austrian accountant and president of the Austrian Association for Accounting and Taxes.
- Michael Abbenzeller: German entrepreneur and former CEO of ABB Group.
- Dieter Abbenzeller: Austrian actor, film producer and director.
- Stefan Abbenzeller: Austrian grandmaster in chess.