Surname Kön - Meaning and Origin
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Kön: What does the surname Kön mean?
The last name Kön is most commonly found in Germany and it is derived from the old German personal name Knut, meaning “cliff” or “bold warrior”. The name is thought to have originated with the Germanic tribes of the Middle Ages, and is believed to have also spread to Scandinavia, including Sweden and Denmark.
The literal meaning of Kön is ‘knight’ or ‘ruler.’ This is reflected in the contemporary German meaning of the surname, which is ‘royal’ or ‘noble’. This is why families with the surname Kön are typically seen as having higher social standing in some parts of Europe.
Kön is quite a popular surname in countries which have traditionally held aristocratic titles. This is because of the association with nobility, power, and wealth. This has been bolstered even further due to the fact that the last name Kön appears prominently in the names of various German royal families, including the Hohenzollerns, the Prussian Royal Family, and the House of Hanover.
The last name Kön is also a popular choice among immigrants, as it carries a sense of authority and status. Some notable people with the last name Kön include the former German chancellor, Helmut Kön, as well as Johann Kön, the former Danish Prime Minister.
Overall, the last name Kön is rooted in traditional German culture, but has been widely used around the world by families seeking to solidify their social position and give a feeling of nobility and power to their lineage.
Order DNA origin analysisKön: Where does the name Kön come from?
The last name Kön is most common today in Germany and Austria. It is an old German name, with its roots likely in the Middle Ages.
The Kön surname is thought to have originated as a patronymic; the name derived from the first name of the father of the initial bearer. Patronymics were popular in Germany in the Middle Ages and later spread to other parts of Europe.
The name has also appeared in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, though not in large numbers. The variants 'Koen', 'Kohen', and 'Kohne' are occasionally used.
The Wollega Kranssbaum family from the 19th century was one of the first to emigrate to the United States. It is possible that their name was anglicized upon arrival, becoming Kron or Cron.
In some cases, persons with the Kön last name are descendants of Jewish immigrants who settled in Germany and Austria in the 17th century. Later, during the German-Jewish population transfers of the 1930s, some members of this population immigrated to the United States, England, and other countries, taking the Kön surname with them.
Though still more common in Germany and Austria, the Kön surname is found in many other countries throughout the world. It is most frequently found as 'Kön', 'Koen', 'Koenig', 'Kohne', or 'Kron'.
Variations of the surname Kön
The surname Kön is derived from the German word König, meaning king in English.
Variants and possible spellings for Kön include Koen, Koenig, Kon, Konig, Kun, Kunig, Kunitz, Coen, Con, Conig, Cuen, Cuenig, Kuen, Kuenig, Koenigs, Konigs, Cunig, and Kunigstein.
Surnames of the same origin as Kön include Kohn, Kahn, Köhler, Cahn, Koehler, Kuhn, Kohner, Kohlhagen, Kahlen, Klopp, Kohnen, Kühnen, Kühne, Koehnen, Kahnke, Kohlhoff, Kolbe, Kohlmeyer, and Koch.
The Dutch form of Kön is Koning (King) but the most common variant is Koen. Kön is also believed to have been a Jewish German name. It is found in a range of spelling variations, each with its own distinctive origin. The spelling variations are generally attributed to the same Germanic root such as Koehne, Koenen, Koning, Köning, Koening, Konning, Konen, and Kone.
Kön is also a variant of the English surname King. The English spelling of King show a great number of spelling variations, including Kynge, Kynge, Kyng, Kynges, Kynge, Klynge, Kin, and Kynge.
The Scandinavian spelling of Kön is Konung, however there are other variants found in Scandinavia such as Kunig, Kroenig, Kaening and Konning. Variants of Kön from other cultures include Konnice (Slovene), Konnye (Hungarian) and Küne (Finnish).
In summary, the surname Kön can be written in many ways, however it usually does not change its meaning - King. There are many surnames from other cultures with similar or connected origins, such as Kohn, Kahn, Köhler, Cahn, Koehler, Kuhn, Kohner, Kohlhagen, Kahlen, Klopp, Kohnen, Kühnen, Kühne, Koehnen, Kahnke, Kohlhoff, Kolbe, Kohlmeyer, and Koch. There is also an English form, King, and other Scandinavian spellings such as Konung, Kunig, Kroenig, Kaening and Konning. Variants of Kön from other cultures include Konnice (Slovene), Konnye (Hungarian) and Küne (Finnish).
Famous people with the name Kön
- Alexander Kön: German handball player
- Anna Maria Kön: German Olympic speed skater
- Annette Kön: German singer and theatre actress
- Barbara Kön: Austrian author
- Heinz Kön: German musician, composer and producer
- Jürgen Kön: German author
- Markus Kön: German football player
- René Kön: German jazz musician
- Werner Kön: German mathematician and computer scientist
- Wolfgang Kön: German painter