Surname Santjohanser - Meaning and Origin

Santjohanser: What does the surname Santjohanser mean?

The last name Santjohanser is a patronymic surname of German origin. It is derived from the given name "Santjohannes", a combination of two German personal names, "Sant" and "Johannes". The name "Sant" is an archaic form of the modern name "Santho" or "Sando", which is thought to come from the Latin name "Sanctus", meaning "sacred". The name "Johannes" likely originates from the Hebrew name "Yohanan", which itself is derived from the Hebrew word "yehohanan", meaning "Yahweh is gracious". Therefore, taken together, the name Santjohanser is thought to mean "graced by God".

The name was likely given to the first family to bear the name during the 16th century, when many people used patronymic surnames to trace their lineages. It is currently a rare surname; as of 2019, it was in use in only a few countries around the world, mostly in Germany, but also in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands.

The last name Santjohanser is an interesting and unique name representing a connection to German history and culture. It serves as an interesting reminder of a past era and serves to show the rich lineages and histories of families who trace their roots back to Europe.

Santjohanser: Where does the name Santjohanser come from?

The last name Santjohanser is currently most common in Austria, with a prevalence of almost 5 people per 10,000, concentrated mainly in Vienna, Upper Austria, Lower Austria and Styria. It is also quite common in Slovakia, with a prevalence of 2.5 people per 10,000 and particularly noticeable in its capital, Bratislava.

The last name has German origins and is thought to have been derived from the medieval Anna Sant Johanser, whose name was recorded in documents in the 13th century in Passau, Bavaria, Germany. During the Middle Ages, the name spread to Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia and other Bavarian regions.

In the 17th century, some Santjohansers immigrated to Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic with the term “Santjohanser” eventually becoming part of Slavic surnames over time.

Today, Santjohanser is also prevalent in Brazil, due to immigrants from Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic who settled in the country at the beginning of the 20th century. The name was adapted to Portuguese and became “Santjohanse” or “Santjohanse dos Santos”. In the United States, the prevalence is significantly lower but there are still a few families with this surname.

Variations of the surname Santjohanser

Santjohanser is a German surname. Variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin include Santjohaner, Sontag, Sontags, Sonntag, Sonntags, St. John, Saint John, Sant Grizzlies, St. Johnner, Sanspailler, and Santee.

Santjohanser is a cognate of the German word “Sontag”, which means Sunday in English. It is also a variant of the English surname “Saint John”, a name of French origin.

The variants of Santjohanser include both the double “j” and single “j” version of the name; the spelling with two “n”s or one “n”; and versions of the surname with the honorific capitalized or not (St. John versus Saint John).

Sant Grizzel is a combination of the German Sontag and the English word “grizzel”, a term of endearment that can be used in place of “darling”.

St. Johnner is a combination of the English surname “Saint John” and the German word “Johann”.

Sanspailler is a combination of the German Sontag and the French expression “sans peur” which means “without fear”.

The surname Santee is derived from the French nickname “saint” which translates to “saintly” or “holy”.

All of these surnames share a common German or French origin, and all are variations of the original surname Santjohanser.

Famous people with the name Santjohanser

• Matthias Santjohanser: Former German football player for Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
• Tim Santjohanser: Pink Floyd’s former lighting director.
• Hans-Jürgen Santjohanser: German neurologist and neuroscientist.
• Dieter Santjohanser: German Church historian and theologian.
• Günther Santjohanser: Austrian-born German sculptor and graphic artist.
• Gabriela Santjohanser: German contemporary art director and curator.
• Paul Santjohanser: German politician and former member of the Bundestag.
• Maritta Santjohanser: German former hurdle athlete and paralympic gold medalist.
• Peter Santjohanser: Austrian painter, sculptor and illustrator.
• Klaus-Dieter Santjohanser: German entomologist and author.

Other surnames

Santjohannser