Surname Anspacher - Meaning and Origin

Anspacher: What does the surname Anspacher mean?

The last name Anspacher is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word “anspäch”, which means “answer”. This surname likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who gave good answers or spoke eloquently. In some cases, it may be derived from the Middle High German word “Änspacher”, which refers to an “authority figure or speaker”.

In parts of Germany, particularly in the southwestern region of Baden-Württemberg, Anspacher can also be a topographic surname referring to someone who lived on a high hill or mountain (from the Middle High German word “höhe”, meaning “height”). This name is quite common in Germany and can also be found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Switzerland. As with many other German surnames, it has also been adopted as a given name.

Anspacher can still be a family name in Germany today, as well as in many other countries. Some notable people who have this surname include Jeff Anspacher, a former biologist turned lawyer; David Anspacher, a German sports trader; and Dietrich Anspacher, a German-American soldier of World War II who received the Bronze Star in 1944.

Anspacher: Where does the name Anspacher come from?

The last name Anspacher may be most commonly found throughout the United States today, although it also traces back to Central and Eastern Europe.

In the U.S., Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio are the states with the highest concentrations of people who carry the Anspacher surname. It's believed that many bearers of the surname originally descended from German-speaking countries, likely settling in the midwestern U.S. in the 19th century. Subsequently, their descendants appear to have mostly remained in areas with large German-American communities, which falls in line with the highest concentrations of Anspachers in the aforementioned states.

As far as Europe is concerned, one will most likely find a concentration of Anspachers in the southeastern region of Germany, particularly Berlin. While the region primarily speaks in German, some Slavic-speaking countries, such as Poland and the Czech Republic, also have a not insignificant presence of the Anspacher surname.

More distant traces of the Anspacher surname can be found in the U.K., France, and a few other European countries, yet in much smaller numbers than either the U.S. or German-speaking Europe.

Despite its Germanic roots, most people in the modern day who carry the Anspacher last name can consider themselves either German-American (in the U.S.; in Canada, the surname is not quite as popular) or German in origin.

Variations of the surname Anspacher

The surname Anspacher is a German and Jewish origin name, which can have several spellings and other surname variants. It is a patronymic form of the earliest ancestral name, Anspach.

Variants of the surname Anspacher include Anspack, Anspacken, Anspach, Anspacher, Anspah, Anspau, Anspaue, Anspaut, Anspauter, Anspaug, Ansperger, Anspich, Anspicher, Anspick, Anspicker, Anspik, Anspiker, Anspo, Anspoeck, Anspoecker, Anspok, Anspoke, Anspoeck, Anspoecker, Anspuecker, Anspueck, Anspuhl, Anspuhler, Anspur, Anspurg, Anspurger, Anspurluer, Anspurlu, Anspurr, Anspurger, Anspurrluer, and Anspurrlueer.

Another common, related surname is Ansbacher. This is also a Germanic origin surname, which has a similar meaning to Anspacher. It is a name derived from the Old German ‘ansbocher’ meaning ‘from the abode of a judicial official’. Variants of the surname Ansbacher include Anspacher, Anspaucher, Ansbaught, Ansbaugh, Ansbock, Ansboch, Ansbrog, Ansbrock, Ansbox, Ansbrain, Anspbacher, Ansbach, Anspacher, Ansbaugh, Ansbrock, Anspbauer, Ansboeck, Ansboeker, and Ansboig.

In summary, the surname Anspacher has many spelling variants and other surnames of similar origin.

Famous people with the name Anspacher

• Bill Anspacher: American lawyer and World War II veteran
• Armina Anspacher: Austrian graphologist
• Charles Anspacher: American actor and director
• Eugenie Anspacher: Austrian writer
• J. Lawrence Anspacher: American politician
• Louisa Anspacher: American poet
• Marie Anspacher: Author and FBI Agent
• Robert R. Anspacher: American doctor and Carnegie Hero
• Annie Anspacher: Broadway actress
• Bruce Anspacher: Cinematographer

Other surnames

Anspach