Surname Schindldecker - Meaning and Origin
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Schindldecker: What does the surname Schindldecker mean?
The German surname Schindldecker is a habitational name for someone from one of the many places called Schindelede or Schindledeck. The place name is derived from the Middle Low German 'schindle' meaning 'a kind of tree' and 'dicke' meaning 'thicket'. Thus, the surname Schindldecker means someone from the thicket of a kind of tree.
This surname was most likely adopted by someone who had moved to a new location, as a way to differentiate from people who already lived in the area. It would be reasonable to expect that the very early Schindldeckers originated in what is currently part of Germany.
Schindldecker is an uncommon surname and appears to mainly be associated with the German language area. However, various iterations of the surname can be found in France, the Netherlands, and Canada. It is likely that it spread through German immigration to other parts of the world.
The history of Schindldecker is likely to remain somewhat of a mystery. However, the meaning of the name seems clear and its origin can be associated with northern Germany. As with many other surnames, it likely originated as a way to differentiate from others living in the same location and eventually spread through various migrations.
Order DNA origin analysisSchindldecker: Where does the name Schindldecker come from?
The last name Schindldecker is most commonly found in the German speaking countries, such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It can also be found elsewhere in the world, particularly in North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, where people of German descent settled in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The exact origin of the last name Schindldecker is uncertain but it is likely derived from the Middle High German words "schinden", meaning "to beat or strike metal with a hammer", and "decker", meaning "able worker". This suggests it was a name given to those who were skilled at working with metal.
In Germany, the name is most common in the regions of Saxony, Thuringia, Hesse and Bavaria. In Austria, the name is most commonly found in the provinces of Lower Austria, Tyrol, and Salzburg. The highest concentration of the Schindldecker surname in any one area is Schwalm-Eder county in northern Hesse.
In the United States, the Schindldecker surname is most commonly found in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, which all have a significant German-American population. In Canada, most of those with the Schindldecker surname are located in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta. The name is also found in Australia and New Zealand, among settlers from Germany and mainland Europe. Finally, South Africa has a significant number of people with the Schindldecker surname, the majority of whom live in the Western Cape province.
Variations of the surname Schindldecker
The surname Schindldecker is a German name and can be spelled in various ways such as Schinldecker, Schindldicker, Schinldecker, Schindldeck, Schindldecker, Schinderdicker, Schinderdecker, Schindersdicker, Schinlderdicker, Schinderdekker, Schindersdekker, Schindledecker, and Schinledecker. These various spellings are all strong indicators of a common origin.
This name appears to have originated from a place called Schwarzenholz, which is located in the Upper Franconia region of Germany. It is believed that the first Schindldecker was either a local nobleman who was in possession of the land or a settler who likely moved to the area and adopted this surname. The term 'holz' means forest and 'schwarz' means black, which is where the abundance of dark forests and woodlands in the region would have provided a suitable namesake.
The variations of the Schindldecker surname can also be indicated by distinct variants in spelling to denote a noted German-Swiss tradition of distinguishing people from the same family by their surnames. For example, a 'Dieck' spelling would indicate a Swabian origin, while a 'dicker' spelling would denote a Bavarian origin. Sending could then indicate a family line from Western Germany, whereas Schindledecker would suggest a more Eastern implication.
Regardless of the various spellings of this German surname, it's second elements of 'holz' and 'schwarz' signify a common origin from the Upper Franconia region. This is further reflected in short-form versions such as 'Schmidt', 'Schmid', 'Schmitz', 'Schmied', or 'Schmeid', all derivatives of the original Schindldecker surname.
Famous people with the name Schindldecker
- Bill Schindldecker: an American baseball player who has played for nine teams, mostly throughout the Pacific Coast League, over a 14-year career.
- William Schindldecker: an Australian former politician who served as the Member for Carrum from 1999 to 2002.
- Johannes Schindldecker: a German composer and conductor of the late Baroque and early Classical eras. He composed more than 200 cantatas, several operas, and works for the organ.
- Ernst Schindldecker: a German artist who was the main representative of the German outline or silhouette school of figure painting, which was popular in the 19th century.
- Gebhard Schindldecker: a German sculptor and art maker of the Baroque period, who worked in both wood and stone forms.
- Eberhard Schindldecker: a German painter and etcher of the Baroque period who is best known for religious scenes.
- Heiner Schindldecker: an automobile engineer and designer who dedicated his career to the research and development of passenger safety, comfort and design.
- Christoph Schindldecker: a German librarian, bibliographer and scholar best known for his work on the history of the book in German literature of the seventeenth century.
- Bernhard Schindldecker: an Austrian businessman active in the early twentieth century and known for his numerous public works initiatives, educational programs and charities.
- Juliana Schindldecker: a performance artist and choreographer whose work focuses on creating interdisciplinary art forms that incorporate physical, visual, and audio elements to explore the hidden stories of objects and spaces.