Surname Oelsner - Meaning and Origin
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Oelsner: What does the surname Oelsner mean?
The last name Oelsner is Germanic in origin and is thought to derive from a word meaning “woodlander” or “forest dweller”. It is believed to have been first established in southern Germany in the seventh or eighth century. The name may have originally been used to describe individuals who lived in forested areas or among the trees and would have been adopted as a surname to help distinguish families from one another.
The name can often take several spelling variations such as Ollesner, Olesner, Oezsner, and Oersner. Oelsner families tended to be concentrated mainly in the states of Bavaria and Saxony in southern Germany from the 15th century. It is thought the original ancestors of the Oelsner surname eventually moved to larger cities or regions of the country by the mid 19th century, dispersing around Germany and beyond.
Etymologically, the name Oelsner is composed of two elements – “ōl” (meaning “wood, forest”) and “sneri” (meaning “dweller”). As such, the original bearers of the name are believed to have been wood and forest dwellers in southern Germany.
Today, the Oelsner surname is still widely found in Germany and has spread to many other countries such as the United States. Worldwide, an estimated 46,500 people currently carry the Oelsner name, making it one of the more common Germanic surnames in existence.
Order DNA origin analysisOelsner: Where does the name Oelsner come from?
The last name Oelsner is quite rare, but it is known to originate in both Germany and Czech Republic. In Germany, the name is mostly concentrated in the north-west of the country, especially in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the Czech Republic, the surname is mostly found in and around the city of Plzeň in Bohemia. It was most likely brought to Czech Republic by German migrants.
Today, the name Oelsner is most commonly found in Germany, but is also present in other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and some parts of Europe like the Czech Republic and England.
In America, the surname Oelsner first arrived with immigrants from Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, the name is most strongly concentrated in the states of Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, and Indiana. In Canada, the name is mostly concentrated in the western provinces like British Columbia.
Overall, the last name Oelsner is still quite a rare one, but it does appear in various places around the world, mostly having its roots in northern Germany and the Czech Republic.
Variations of the surname Oelsner
The surname Oelsner has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant of the surname is Oeler, which have a few alternate spellings such as Oelers, Oelerich, Oelering, Oellers, Oellerich, and Oellowich. This variant is of German and American origin and is most commonly found in Europe.
Another variation of Oelsner is Oelsner, which has a few alternate spellings such as Oelesner, Oelsne, Oelsnert, Olesner, Oelgesner, Oelners, Oelheners, and Oelserners. This variant is of German and Jewish origin and is most commonly found in Poland and Germany.
As for surnames of the same origin, they include Oelberger, Oelerich, Oelmüller, Oelschläger, Oelschleger, Oeltjen, Olnecke, and Ulensker.
The surname Oelsner has been around for centuries and continues to be used in different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. It is a unique surname and is quite different from other surnames which makes it easier to recognize and remember. It can also be used as an anglicized variation of other surnames such as Oelman, Oeltzen, or Oelrich.
Famous people with the name Oelsner
- John Oelsner: Animation storyboarder and writer, best known for his work on the popular animated series, Bob's Burgers.
- Stanley Oelsner: began his career as a civil engineer in the late 19th century and was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Great Lakes Schemnitz in 1929.
- Cody Oelsner: Professional Motocross racer, who made his name riding bikes on extreme trails in locations throughout the US.
- Al Oelsner: American Olympic weightlifter who was part of the United States team at both the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympic Games.
- Howard Oelsner: American writer and author of historical novels set during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War.
- Carl Oelsner: Former NFL placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons who set a club record with a 44-yard field goal.
- Josh Oelsner: American composer and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for his work writing movie soundtracks and sound design for video games.
- Fritz Oelsner: German footballer and star striker of the early 1900s.
- James Oelsner: Professor of neurology at Stanford University, best known for his research on the neural basis of movement.
- Robert Oelsner: Hollywood costume designer and wardrobe supervisor known for his work in many classic films such as Star Wars.