Surname Achtermann - Meaning and Origin
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Achtermann: What does the surname Achtermann mean?
The last name Achtermann is of German origin, derived from a place name most commonly found in the area of Lower Saxony. The original meaning of the name comes from the combination of two German words, “achter” meaning “behind” and “mann” meaning “man”, together literally meaning “behind man”. It is believed to have derived from a person who resided behind a landmark of sorts, which is why it is most commonly found in Lower Saxony.
Achtermann is also thought to be an occupational name, related to someone who lived near a lake or other body of water. This is due to the translation of achter meaning “behind” or “at the back” and mann meaning “keeper of”, referring to someone who was put in charge of taking care of the water resources of a particular area. This could have applied to a variety of occupations, such as a fisherman, boat builder, or boatman.
The earliest known record of the last name was found in 1247, during the reign of Henry III. The name was found on the roster of the parish of St. Nicholas in the city of Rostock.
Today, Achtermann continues to be a popular surname in Germany and has spread to other parts of the world thanks to German emigrants. Those bearing the name often take pride in its German origin and the fact that it is a rare last name.
Order DNA origin analysisAchtermann: Where does the name Achtermann come from?
The last name Achtermann is most commonly seen in Germany, especially in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where it ranks among the top 400 surnames for frequency of occurrence. It is also present in Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Achtermann is descended from a Germanic root word "Agmar", which means "ox-man". This suggests a medieval origin, when oxen were still used for heavy labor in fields and stables. Along with this name roots, the traditional family crest is an ox's head.
In the United States, the Achtermann name is rather rare, with fewer than 1,000 people whose last name is Achtermann, primarily concentrated in Iowa and Nebraska.
The last name Achtermann is sometimes found in spelling variations such as Achtman, Achtremann, Achnarman, Aktermann, and Achtromann. It is also sometimes found without the "mann" suffix in places like Scotland.
Though the last name is much less common than it once was, there is evidence to show that some branches of the family have spread from their German origin and settled in other countries. This is probably why the Achtermann name can sometimes be found today in places which have historically been distant from Germany and its neighboring countries.
Variations of the surname Achtermann
Achtermann is a German-language surname which is derived from the given name Achter (Achtero in the Low German language) meaning 'eighth'. This surname is primarily found in Germany and the Netherlands as well as some other German-speaking countries.
Variants of the surname Achtermann include Achterman, Achtman, Achterom, and Achteromm. The Dutch form of the name is Achterman. Spellings of the name can vary significantly depending on the country of origin and language of the speaker. The most common variants of the name in other languages are Achtermann (Germany/Austria), Achtman (Poland) and Ektermann (Belarus).
In terms of surnames of the same origin, there are several different options that can be derived from the surname Achtermann. These include variations such as Akkermann, Ackerom, Achenmann, Achterberg, and Akkerman. Some of these names may also be spelled differently depending on the country of origin.
Overall, the surname Achtermann is a relatively common one in Germany and other German-speaking countries. As such, there are numerous variants and surnames of the same origin that can be derived from this particular surname.
Famous people with the name Achtermann
- Bart Achtermann, Dutch film director
- Sofie Achtermann, Danish ice hockey player
- Stephan Achtermann, German football goalkeeper
- Jakob Achtermann, German actor and composer
- Adam Achtermann, German footballer
- Ernst Achtermann, German painter
- Wilhelm Achtermann, German landscape architect and civil engineer
- Marie Achtermann, German actress
- Gerald Achtermann, German politician
- Sir Dieter Achtermann, German businessman.