Surname Degen - Meaning and Origin
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F. Degen
read moreDegen: What does the surname Degen mean?
The last name Degen is a German-Jewish surname originating from the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word “degen,” meaning “sword.” It is possible, then, that the Degen family may have had a connection to the military, either as soldiers or as armorers or swordsmiths. The name is thought to have resided mainly in the present-day state of Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany, and indeed in the early 1700s, the Degen family was found in cities such as Neckarsulm and Leingarten, both in the Baden-Wurttemberg region.
The Degen family has a centuries-old history, surviving wars, natural disasters, and other obstacles to become one of the more prominent Jewish families in Germany. Today, the Degen surname is much more widespread, with people bearing the name now living all around the world.
The Degen surname, with its long, proud, and fascinating history, is sure to be around for many generations to come. This name will continue to symbolize a family that, through resilience, strength, and courage, was able to overcome any obstacle that came its way.
Order DNA origin analysisDegen: Where does the name Degen come from?
The surname Degen is of German origin, and is quite common throughout many Germanic countries. Areas in the western portion of Germany, such as Baden-Württemburg, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland all have regions with higher concentrations of the Degen surname.
Regions in northern Germany, like Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Lower Saxony also have high concentrations of the Degen surname. Outside of the German-speaking realm, the surname can also be found in some limited areas of Luxembourg, Switzerland, and in Austria, particularly in the Vorarlberg and Tyrol regions.
Outside of German-speaking countries, the surname is also quite prevalent in countries with populations of German descendent, such as the United States, Canada, Argentina and Brazil. The surname is also present in some other countries, such as India and Egypt, albeit in lesser numbers.
In the United States, the surname is most commonly found concentrated within the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and California. The states of Texas, and Wisconsin also have higher concentrations of the Degen surname. In the United Kingdom, the surname is relatively rare, however, there are some scattered individuals with the surname in some parts of England.
Overall, the surname Degen is most commonly found in countries with German-speaking populations, and parts of North America.
Variations of the surname Degen
Degen is a surname of Germanic origin, generally coming from the root word "degen", which translates to "sword". This word is the diminutive of the word "deg" meaning "weapon" or "army". As such, it was originally a surname given to an individual who was proficient with a weapon or was a soldier in an army.
The variants and spellings of Degen include Degens, Deggen, Degeon, Degin, Deighton, Degon, Degan, and Degens.
Surnames that are related to Degen include Degens, Deggen, Degeon, Degin, Deighton, Degteren, Deghesel, Degroot, Degrange, Daegen, Degeding, Degging, Degonder, Degstorf, Degemann, Degener, Degele, Degelhoff, Degethoff, de Groat, and Deus.
In some cases Degen is also used as a given name, and as such it can be spelled differently, such as Degene and Degtee.
Many surnames derived from Degen are found in German-speaking countries like Austria, Germany, and Switzerland as well as throughout the Low Countries, especially the Netherlands. This surname is found across the world, including in parts of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Degen
- Ruedi Degen: Swiss actor and television presenter, known for his work on the Swiss TV shows Blick in die Welt and Schirme, Ringe, Grössen.
- Hans Degen: Swiss film and television producer, filmmaker, and director of several feature-length films, documentaries, and television series, including Exceptional Men and Switzerland in the Year 2000.
- Christian Degen: former Swiss international footballer, who played as a striker for Basel and represented the Switzerland national team.
- Jakob Degen: Swiss alpine skier, competing in the World Cup since the 2015/16 season.
- Adolf Degen: German Olympic shooter, who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.
- Oleg Degen: Russian equestrian, competing in the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.
- Joan Degen: Swedish painter, printmaker, sculptor, and abstract artist, whose work is often associated with the emergence of abstract art in Sweden in the 1950s.
- Andreas Degen: German footballer who currently plays for FSV Hanau.
- Cristian Degen: Argentine footballer who currently plays for Almirante Brown.
- Heidi Degen: former Swiss Paralympic athlete, who competed in ten winter Paralympic Games, specializing in Alpine skiing.