Surname Jentges - Meaning and Origin
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Jentges: What does the surname Jentges mean?
The last name Jentges is of German origin. It is derived from the Old German word "jung", which means "young". The prefix "jent-" is derived from the Middle High German word "gent" which means "nobleman". So, Jentges essentially means the "young nobleman".
The name Jentges is found across Europe, including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and France. It is also found in the United States where it is often spelled as Jentgens or Jengee.
The earliest records of the name Jentges have been found in Germany. The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is from 1390, when Robert Henc Jentges was living in the village of Groetzen in the German state of Bavaria.
Jentges is most commonly found as a surname. However, it can sometimes appear as a first name, especially given to children in the Netherlands.
People bearing the Jentges surname are said to be natural born leaders, creative thinkers and positive minded individuals. The Jentges are particularly noted for their strong sense of responsibility and dedication.
The Jentges family motto is "Strength in unity" and emphasizes the importance of strength through a collective purpose. The crest for the Jentges family features a black lion facing to the right and a crown on its head.
Order DNA origin analysisJentges: Where does the name Jentges come from?
The last name Jentges is of German origin and is most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking regions. It is also common in the United States, particularly in the states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Variations of the name can be seen documented in Latin spelling in the early 18th century, suggesting that the family has German roots. The mascunlein coat of arms associated with the name also suggests a German origin, as well as the fact that it is most widespread in Germany today.
The name first emerged as Jehengen in records in the late 1500s in Westphalia, Germany, with the earliest mention of the current spelling found in records in 1709. The current Jentges form is thought to be the result of a phonetic spelling adopted by the family as French Huguenots, a group of French Protestants who were persecuted in France in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, began to spread across Europe.
Today, the Jentges name is still particularly familiar in Germany and its former territories, including Alsace and Lorraine, although family branches can be found across America, Asia and Australia. In recent decades, the name has spread to a variety of other countries, including Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
Variations of the surname Jentges
The surname Jentges has multiple variants, spellings, and associated surnames of the same origin. These variants and spellings include Gentges, Gentz, Jantz, Ganz, Gantz, Gantzke, Gentkest, Gentges and Jentz. All of these variants are believed to derive from the German word 'Ganz', meaning 'whole' or 'entire', with the added suffix 's' to denote ownership. This makes the literal meaning of the surname 'of the entire'.
Jentges is typically thought to be an occupational surname, referring to tradesmen or merchants dealing in multiple wares or 'the entire' product range. This is due to the close association of the surname to the German word 'Ganz'. It is also possible that some derivatives and variants of the surname are derived form the German word 'Ganze', derivations of which mean 'fool' or 'simpleton', although the occupational relevance of such origins is less certain.
The Jentges surname is found in numerous locations across mainland Europe, most significantly in Germany and Switzerland. It is also possible to find examples of the surname further afield, notably in the United States and Canada, where the surname was adopted by various emigrant families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Examples of associated surnames can also be found, such as Gambes, Gambz, Ganze, Gentes, Gentsch, Gentzsch, Kimmich and Kimpke. These surnames often carry many of the same spellings and variants as the Jentges surname.
Thus, Jentges is a surname with a rich history, which can be traced back hundreds of years in numerous countries across the globe. It is a surname with multiple variants, spellings and associated surnames, all of which are believed to be rooted in the same origins.
Famous people with the name Jentges
- Anton Jentges, former Germany football player
- Alex Jentges, former German racing driver
- Bodo Jentges, German fashion photographer
- Bruno Jentges, German long-distance runner
- Guido Jentges, German television presenter
- Hans Jentges, German diplomat
- Johann Jentges, German organist and composer
- Jorg Jentges, German former winner of The Weakest Link
- Leo Jentges, German former weightlifter
- Peter Jentges, contemporary German jazz guitarist