Surname Nunner - Meaning and Origin

Nunner: What does the surname Nunner mean?

The last name Nunner is an occupational surname, likely derived from the occupation of a monk or nun. These people worked in religious order communities, typically under vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and were responsible for the spiritual and material welfare of those in their communities.

The practice of monasticism dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and Christian monks can trace their roots to the scholars and philosophers of early Christianity. One of the most famous of which was Saint Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Benedictine Order. The word "nun" in the English language today is derived from the Latin word "nonna" which was used to refer to a female religious leader.

Today, Nunner is still sometimes found as a surname in countries around the world. While some may take this name in reference to their ancestors’ work as religious leaders, others may not have any connection to the historical religious background of the same. Regardless, Nunner is a surname with a long, and often fascinating, history.

Nunner: Where does the name Nunner come from?

The last name Nunner is not as common today as it once was - its roots are in Germany and the Netherlands. The name developed from the old German personal name Nunn, and was derived from the Latin nonnus which means monk. It might have originally referred to someone who was related to a monk, or it may have originally been a nickname for a monk.

There are many variations of the last name Nunner, like Nunnerly, Nunnery, Nunne, and Nunners. In the United States, Nunner is most common in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois – though the name can be found in other states as well. In Germany, the last name Nunner is particularly prevalent in Bavaria. Globally, Nunner is a relatively uncommon surname. In the year 1891, there were 40 people in England and Wales using the last name Nunner. It is believed that the number of Nunner families in the United Kingdom has decreased since then.

Nunner is reportedly a more popular surname in many other parts of the world. It is found in greater numbers in countries like Australia, France, Sweden, Russia, and The Netherlands.

No matter the region, the last name Nunner usually signifies a close connection to religious orders or brotherhoods – which means the bearer often had an intimate understanding of faith and hierarchy.

Variations of the surname Nunner

Nunner is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Nunno, which is a German version of the Italian name Nino, meaning "little boy". It is most commonly found in Germany, Scandinavia and the Low Countries but has spread around the world.

Variants of Nunner include Nuenner, Nuener, Noonar, Nuor, Nuannor, Noner and Nunher. Spellings of the surname include Noner, Nuner, Ninar and Nuner.

The surname Nunner can also be patronymic, meaning a person whose surname is derived from the given name of a parent or ancestor. As such, the surname Nunner can be found with variations derived from its patronymic origins, such as Nunners, Nunnerses, Nunenburg, Nunnemann, Niemann, Nuemann, Nunnebrand and Nunenberger.

The Scottish variant, referred to as Nunn, can be traced to the Gaelic name Mac Fhionn, which is derived from the root name Fionn and has similar patronymic origins.

In some cases, variants and spellings of Nunner have changed over time due to regional dialects. For instance, some variants are derived from the Saxon word nunne meaning "daughter of". Spelled differently, Nunner can become Spillner, Penner, Pellner, Pinnner, Schneller, Schollner, Schwenner and Wellner.

It is believed that some variants of the Nunner surname can also be found in countries as far away as Russia, although its origin is still uncertain. In Russia the name is spelled Nunner and is a variant of Nunnikhoven, a Dutch family name.

In all, there are numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Nunner. These variations have spread over many countries and continents, testament to the migration of the original family name bearer.

Famous people with the name Nunner

• Johannes Nunner, Dutch cartoonist
• Henry Nunner, English professional footballer
• Josef Nunner, German painter
• Eleanor Nunner, American photographer
• Rainer Nunner, German architect
• Julius Nunner, German-Christian theologian
• Manfred Nunner, German physicist
• Lothar Nunner, Austrian figure skater
• Ada Nunner, Austrian-British writer
• Emmy Nunner, German actress

Other surnames

Nunnenmacher