Surname Augstein - Meaning and Origin

Augstein: What does the surname Augstein mean?

The surname Augstein is of German origin and is thought to mean 'son of Augustus'. It is believed to come from the Early Germanic personal names 'Audag', meaning 'riches', 'prosperity' or 'wealth', and 'stein', meaning 'stone' as well as 'fortification'.

This surname is most likely a patronymic name and was used to identify a person’s father or ancestor. Patronymic names were common during the Middle Ages in Germany and the name Augstein may have been used to distinguish people from different areas or to describe their occupation.

Throughout the centuries, this surname was adopted by many different families and became widespread throughout Europe. Today, variations of the Augstein name, such as Oppenheimer, Oppenhausen, Appenstein, Uppeneisen, and Oppenstein can be found in different countries.

In more recent times, the name Augstein was made famous by Rudolf Augstein who was a German journalist and the founder of Der Spiegel magazine in 1947. He was an important figure in post-war Germany and led the magazine to become one of the country’s most important news outlets. He was also known for his public criticism of the German government and his unwavering commitment to journalistic standards.

Augstein: Where does the name Augstein come from?

The last name Augstein is most commonly found in Germany. Augstein is a diminutive form of the German word aug, meaning forefather. This patronymic surname appeared first in Brandenburg in the 12th century. In the modern era, Augstein is mainly found in east-central Germany around the large cities of Berlin and Leipzig.

Augstein is derived from multiple German dialects and is pronounced differently by various regions. In Berlin, it is pronounced OYG-shtine, while Leipzig and the surrounding areas pronounce it as OWG-shtine.

Although relatively uncommon, Augstein can be found globally with a few thousand holders of the last name living throughout Germany and in countries such as the United States, Canada, Switzerland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

As of 2016, Augstein was recorded as the 17,948th most popular surname in Germany. The various spelling forms that it takes further complicates the exact popularity of the name. Variants of Augstein include Augenstein, Augst, Aug, Augster, Angstein, and Augdin.

Variations of the surname Augstein

The surname Augstein is an occupational German name derived from the Middle High German word 'ougen', meaning 'eye'. The variants of the surname Augstein, as well as related spellings and surnames, include:

• Augerstam

• Augestam

• Augista

• Augustam

• Augstam

• Augtein

• Augsten

• Augustenstein

• Augstin

• Augstine

• Augstyn

• Augustan

• Augustein

• Augustem

• Augusten

• Augustus

• Augston

• Augstynne

• Augthein

• Augtheyn

• Oogenstein

• Ougenstein

• Ougganstein

• Ougstam

• Owgenstein

• Uggerstein

• Uggenstein

• Uggeynstein

• Uggin

• Uggstein.

These related spellings and surnames may also come from separate roots, such as 'ugge', meaning 'manner' and 'stein', meaning 'rock'. As a result, surnames such as 'Ugman' and 'Ugstein' may also be associated with the same family origin.

Augstein is an old German surname, first appearing in documents in the 12th century. It has historically been found in places such as Hesse, Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony. The surname Augstein may have also travelled to countries such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and the United States as many German emigrants left for these countries in the 19th century.

Famous people with the name Augstein

• Rudolf Augstein: German publisher who founded Der Spiegel magazine in 1947.
• Jakob Augstein: son of Rudolf Augstein and current publisher of Der Spiegel.
• Hugo Augstein: son of Rudolf Augstein and former publisher of Der Spiegel.
• Frank Augstein: German goalkeeper who played for Schalke 04 and Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.
• Joseph Augstein: German World War One veteran who received the Medal of Honor and the Cross of Honor for valor in combat.
• Carl Augstein: German mathematician and physicist, best known for his work on the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.
• Christopher Augstein: German actor who starred in several popular films including Das Boot and Der letzte Bulle.
• Monika Augstein: German journalist and television presenter.
• Christian Augstein: German musician and composer.
• Hans Augstein: German lawyer and writer.

Other surnames

Augsten