Surname Makedanz - Meaning and Origin
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Makedanz: What does the surname Makedanz mean?
The last name Makedanz is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the area of modern-day northern Germany. It is derived from a combination of two elements, “Macher” and “Dantz”, meaning “maker” and “dance”, respectively. As such, the name itself may be interpreted as “maker of dance” and is thought to have been a name given to those who regularly attended, or organized, traditional German folk dances during medieval times. This would have been an important role for both recreational and ceremonial activities, as well as being a highly respected profession – it is likely that those bearing this name were viewed in high regard for their ability to lead dance groups and create a cheerful atmosphere during these occasions. The Makedanz surname may also have been a name given to bakers, as there is a connection to the root word and baking.
In modern times, the name Makedanz is still fairly common in Germany, and may have been adopted by countries which were historically associated with German-speaking areas. It may also have been adopted by immigrants of the same origin, settling in other countries across the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMakedanz: Where does the name Makedanz come from?
The last name Makedanz is most prevalent today in Germany, along with the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, and Liechtenstein. In Germany, it is estimated that just under 1,000 people bear the Makedanz name. Most of them live in the northeastern area of the country, mainly in Berlin, Brandenburg, and Saxony-Anhalt. The surname has been known to exist in the country since the early to mid-19th century.
The Makedanz family is originally thought to have its roots in the region of Silesia, in present-day Poland. It’s believed that the name was derived from the German word “Mache”, meaning land. Given its quintessentially German roots, the surname is most likely of Germanic origin.
The Makedanz name has also spread to many parts of Central and Western Europe during the 20th century, especially during the Nazi occupation of these lands. The largest community exists among the German diaspora in the United States and Canada, with an estimated total of around 2,000 individuals.
Interestingly, there have also been a few cases of the Makedanz surname popping up in countries as far away as the Philippines. While it isn’t clear exactly how the name got there, it is assumed that extremely distant relatives of original Makedanz surname holders migrated to the island nation during the 20th century. Regardless, the presence of the name in the modern age speaks to the far-reaching influence and power of the Germanic world.
Variations of the surname Makedanz
The surname Makedanz is derived from the Slavic Mak meaning “great” and Danz meaning “warrior”, and this surname is most commonly found in the German-speaking regions of Europe. Variations of the surname Makedanz include Makadanz, Makadanzky, Makdenz, Makdenzky, Makdantz, Makdantze, Makedantz, Makedantzky, and Makedentz.
Surnames of similar origin and spelling can also be found, such as Makadam, Makadums, Makaden, Makdet, Makoidz, Makadum, Makdens, Maket, Madens, Makdams, Makdans, Makdansz, Makdems, and Makadens. These surnames are found in regions around Eastern Europe, such as Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland.
The surname Makdenz or Makadam is most likely derived from the Old Germanic word “maccen”, which meant “mighty”. Makoidz is an alternate spelling of Makdansz and is a patronymic, based off the root of Mak, the original “Makedanz” surname.
The Makedantz surname has many variations, depending on the region where it is found. For example, in Lithuania it can be spelled as Madenas, Makdansz, Makdonas, Makdoznas, Makdventz, Makdventze, or Makdventzky. In other countries such as Poland or Russia, it may be spelled as Makdens, Makdams, Makdensz, Makdems, Makden, or Makdan.
Finally, spellings and variations of the Makedantz surname can also be found in Scandinavian countries, under the variants Makedant, Makedanti, Makedantte, and Makedantti.
Famous people with the name Makedanz
- Paul Makedanz: A German jazz musician who plays the bass guitar, electric guitar, and keyboard.
- Rainer Makedanz: A German filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is probably best known for his 2008 feature film Omnibus.
- Joachim Makedanz: A German film director, screenwriter, and producer, who is known for directing the 1961 film Holiday in the Sun.
- Deborah H Makedanz: An American marine biologist and professor at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
- Christen Makedanz: A Norwegian-American writer and journalist. She won the Philolexian Award for Best Column in 2006 and 2007 from Columbia University.
- Henning Makedanz: A German computer scientist and professor of Distributed Computing at the Technical University of Braunschweig.
- Sigurd Makedanz: A Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
- Robert L Makedanz: An American writer and farmer from North Dakota who wrote several books, including The Little Book of Home Economics.
- Franz Adolf Makedanz: A German philosopher who wrote extensively on the concept of global awareness and the impact of world events on human life.
- Eric Makedanz: A Swiss politician and computer scientist who is a current member of the National Council.