Surname Feder - Meaning and Origin
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Feder: What does the surname Feder mean?
The origin of the last name Feder is German. It is derived from the Middle High German word “veder” which meant ‘feather’. This name is likely to have originated from a nickname or sign name of a person or family who worked with feathers or made feather goods. The English word ‘feather’ was derived from the same root as the German word “veder” so this gives an indication of how this surname might have been used in medieval times.
The surname Feder can also be found in other countries throughout Europe, particularly in East Central and Eastern Europe. In some Slavic countries, the name is spelled Feider, while in Polish and Ukrainian it is spelled Fedor. The meaning remains the same, i.e. “feather”.
In the Anglicised version of the name, Feder tended to become a form of Martin, Freder or Edmund. For example, the earliest forms of the surname record a Thomas Feder in the 1208 Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire, England.
The surname Feder is sometimes also found as Fedele, Fidele or even Veder which are all Italian versions of the same name.
In the US, the surname is now more commonly found as “Fedder”.
In summary, the last name Feder has a German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word “veder” which meant ‘feather’. It is possible that the name originated as a nickname or sign name of someone who worked with feathers or made feather goods. The name has spread throughout Europe and is found with slight variations in spelling. In the US, the last name is now more commonly spelt “Fedder”.
Order DNA origin analysisFeder: Where does the name Feder come from?
The last name Feder is most commonly found today in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2020, the name Feder is ranked in the 5,274th most popular last name among all the surnames in the country. The highest concentration of Feder families is located on the east coast, mainly in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. A noticeable amount of Feder households also live in California, while smaller concentrations can be found in Illinois, Maryland, and Florida. Outside of the US the name Feder is still encountered in Eastern European countries such as Poland, Russia, and Ukraine.
The surname Feder is derived from the medieval personal name Fedora, which may have originated as a nickname from the Greek word for gift: dōron. Alternatively, the name could stem from the Latin adjective "fedus" or "federis", meaning friendly or faithful. The name is also linked to medieval Jewish surnames such as Fajer, Fedel, Feler, Felder, and Fleer.
Source: US Census Bureau; Family Tree DNA
Variations of the surname Feder
The surname Feder is an Ashkenazi Jewish occupational name derived from the Middle High German word “veder” meaning “feather.” This name was typically given to the maker or seller of feather and down products like mattresses, pillows, and feather beds. This name has been found in various forms including Fedor, Feider, Vader, Federer, Fieder, and Fiedler. In some cases, the name can be seen spelled with an ending such as “er” or “ler” due to it being derived form a German occupation or simply a sign of further Germanization of the name.
Variants of this surname can also be found in other languages, such as the Polish spelling “Fedor” and the Russian spelling “Fedorov.” Other variations of the name also exist such as “Veeder,” “Fayder,” and “Feddersen.” In some cases, the name may also appear as a variant ending, such as “Veder,” “Vaderer,” and “Vadererhoff.”
The surname Feder may also appear as a first name in some cases, such as “Federico” in Spanish, “Fedor” in Ukrainian, and “Fedir” in Russian.
In terms of surname spellings, the surname Feder can be found spelled in many ways, such as “Federn,” “Federon,” “Feidor,” “Federow,” “Federischer,” and “Federwitz.” Though the spelling of the name is often determined by the native language of the family, some of the more common spellings of this name are “Feitor,” “Feyder,” and “Fonder.”
The surname Feder is still in existence today, as many people bearing this surname have since immigrated to different parts of the world, such as the United States, Canada, and Israel. The Feder name remains in use in Ashkenazi Jewish communities, as well as amongst non-Jewish people with German or Polish backgrounds.
Famous people with the name Feder
- Leonard Feder: American actor, best known for his role as Kenneth Branagh in the series "Captive Minds"
- Alexander Feder: Russian-born composer and pianist
- Kurt Feder: American journalist and political commentator
- Tory Feder: American businesswoman and travel marketer
- Eugen Von Feder: German mathematician
- Robert Feder: Chicago, Illinois based mass media critic
- Niall Feder: Irish broadcaster and actor
- Maurice Feder: American surgeon
- Philipp Von Feder: German sculptor and engraver
- Jodie Feder: Australian actress and stand-up comedian
- Andrea Feder: Canadian actress and film director
- Steven Feder: American actor, best known for his role in the series "Waterworld"
- Hans Feder: German organist and composer
- Maximilian Feder: German physicist and chemist
- Lilian Feder: German artist and illustrator
- Victoria Feder: American ballet dancer
- Svea Feder: Norwegian actress and director