Surname Berntges - Meaning and Origin

Berntges: What does the surname Berntges mean?

The last name Berntges is an extremely rare German surname which is believed to have ultimately derived from the Dutch word "berntgen", which means "crane". This development was likely the result of an ancestor of the Berntges family having been nicknamed “Berntgen” for his resemblance to the bird, which later became a hereditary surname.

The Berntges surname is thought to be most concentrated in the area of Germany near the Dutch border, particularly in the German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. The earliest known record of Berntges as a surname dates back to 1717, in the form of Johann Peter Berntgen, recorded in an archive of the German town of Hommersum.

The Berntges surname has some interesting variants, such as burninges and berninges, technically called “metronymics”, which were formed by adding the feminine patronymic ‘-es’ to a male’s Christian name as a sign of affection. There is also the nickname form berntgesen, which indicates a small crane.

The Berntges surname may be related to gronau, which is a region in Germany. The two surnames share a similar origin, with both deriving from the Dutch word for crane, and many Berntges today come from this town.

To this day, the Berntges family still retains a strong presence in Germany, and the Berntges surname is especially known throughout the small towns sprawled across the area. Overall, the Berntges surname is an important German name, with a very interesting history that goes back centuries.

Berntges: Where does the name Berntges come from?

The last name Berntges is most commonly found in Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. According to recent census data, the Berntges family is still especially abundant in western Germany, with the Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia regions being the most heavily populated.

Berntges is derived from the German personal name Bernhart, meaning “brave bear,” and may have originally been a nickname for someone with a bold and ferocious nature. The Berntges name is frequently found especially in areas of Germany with a strong Jewish heritage. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Names in Germany states that this name is “especially well represented in West and Central Germany.”

In addition to Germany, Belgium is also home to many Berntges. The capital city of Antwerp houses many Jewish Berntges families, and while exact numbers are not available, there is no doubt the name is still quite common in this region. It is also quite prevalent in Holland and Luxembourg, both of which have a long history of Jewish migration.

Overall, the last name Berntges is common today in many parts of Europe, from Germany and Belgium to the Netherlands and Luxembourg. While exact census numbers are not available, the name is still especially abundant in the western German regions of Cologne and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as the cities of Antwerp and Amsterdam in Belgium and at the Netherlands, respectively.

Variations of the surname Berntges

The surname Berntges is an ancient Germanic/German surname. Its earliest known origin dates back to pre-Medieval times and is associated with the region of Thuringia located in the central-eastern part of Germany.

The most common variants and alternate spellings of the surname Berntges are Berends, Bernard, Bernd, Bernhardt, Berntge, Bernes, Berndt, Bernhards, Bernhardz, Biarhces, Beynhartz, Biestes, Biens and Bierends.

Variations of the surname Berntges were also adopted in the Dutch speaking regions of Europe. The common Dutch spellings of the surname include: Bernarts , Barkhausen, Bernaards, Berndsen and Berends.

A variant of the surname, Bernhard, is particularly common in the US, Canada, England, France, Australia and the Netherlands.

The surname Berntges has distinct geographical references and is associated primarily with the central, eastern and northern regions of Germany, and certain areas Lombardy, Italy and Hungary. Some examples of surnames with similar origins in these regions include: Bernardi, Bernardeaux, Barnholt, Bernthal, Beinkenhom and Bergsma.

To round off, some examples of unrelated surnames which can be confused with Berntges in certain contexts include: Barnet, Burgas, Burns, Bianchi and Bernay.

Famous people with the name Berntges

• Armin Berntges: A German theologian, professor of Old Testament studies, and former member of the Carter Center.
• Tino Berntges:Former professional soccer player who had a successful international career, winning the European Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt.
• Tom Berntges: A retired German professional footballer who played his entire career with 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
• Laura Berntges: A German television personality, journalist, and editor.
• Hans Berntges: A German actor, known for his roles in popular television series such as "Verbotene Liebe".
• Alexander Berntges: A retired German professional footballer who played for the German national team in the 1980's.
• Sven Berntges: A German composer, arranger and music producer from Cologne.
• Utz Berntges:A German pianist, producer, and composer, best known for his solo piano album “The Journey”.
• Heino Berntges: A former professional footballer who played in the German Bundesliga.
• Frank Berntges: A German electronic musician and producer from Cologne.

Other surnames

Berntgen