Surname Schnurer - Meaning and Origin
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Schnurer: What does the surname Schnurer mean?
The last name Schnurer is of German origin. It originates from the Middle Ages, when a nickname was a common way to tell apart people with the same given name. In this case, Schnurer is derived from the Middle High German word ‘schnuora’, meaning one with a cap or hat—most likely referring to someone who often wore a particular type of hat as a kind of signature look. It could also refer to a person who worked or owned a cap or hat maker business.
In the Late Middle Ages, this last name became a hereditary surname, meaning that a single family adopted it rather than being passed around the local community. Schnurer is most common in southwestern Germany—particularly in the Baden-Württemberg region. Today, there are still many people with this surname, especially in Germany, where it appears more than one thousand times in official records.
For German families descended from the Schnurer surname, the hat symbolizes a connection to their ancestors and shared family history. Not only does it provide them with a sense of identity and heritage, but it is also a way to honor their ancestors. This symbol of hat-wearing has clearly lasted for centuries, and is still an important part of the Schnurer family today.
Order DNA origin analysisSchnurer: Where does the name Schnurer come from?
The last name Schnurer is most commonly found in Germany today. Though the vast majority of the name's bearers live in the country, there is also a small number of Schnurers in other parts of Europe, the Americas, Australasia, and certain parts of Africa.
The majority of Schnurer families living in Germany today can trace their ancestry back to the Rhineland of the Middle Ages, where an unknown family with the name Schnurer was first recorded. Since then the name is believed to have spread throughout western and central Germany in the centuries that followed. It is unclear exactly how and why the name eventually made its way to the other places it can now be found.
More recent events might have had an influence on the presence of the Schnurer name in areas outside of Germany. Migration during the 19th and 20th centuries, for example, could have resulted in the dispersal of Schnurer families around the globe, though it is impossible to be certain.
Whichever the cause of its modern spread, Schnurer is a relatively common name today, both in its country of origin and in other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Schnurer
Schnurer is a German surname from the Middle High German word “schoner”, which translates to “prettier” or “better.” Variations of this surname include Schnurer, Soner, sonor, Sonore, Schoner, Söhner, and Söhnern. In English speaking countries, Schnurer is sometimes spelled Shonnere or Shonner.
The earliest documented instances of the surname are recorded in the 13th century. Early bearers of the surname owned land and held noble titles during the Middle Ages. Notable people with the surname include German sculptor Adolf Schnurer (1807-1876), German professor of theology Wolfgang Schnurer (1842-1915), and German general Adolf Gustav Schnurer (1866-1937).
In German records, the surname has a variety of spellings, reflecting the regional dialects of the country. Regional forms of Snoer, Snurr, and Schnurr are common. In Dutch, the name is spelled Schooner or Schoonraad.
The most common spelling of the surname in the United States is Shonner. Other variants include Shonnere, Schnurrer, and Schonor. It is also found as Sonnerer and Sonnor in city directories. It is sometimes hyphenated, such as Schonner-Schnurrer.
Famous people with the name Schnurer
- August Schnurer (1850–1905): a German business executive who was successively an executive of several steelmaking companies in Germany and, upon emigrating to Argentina, promoted the improvement of the steel manufacturing in his adopted homeland.
- Jamila Schnurer (born 1991): a German professional volleyball player.
- Robert Schnurer (1921-2015): German film actor, appearance in over 50 films.
- Tirzah Schnurer (born 1992): a Canadian singer-songwriter as well as a visual artist and illustrator.
- Christoph Schnurer (1893–1955): a World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories.
- Jacob Schnurer (1898–1937): a German flying ace who was credited with seven aerial victories during World War I.
- Rudolf Schnurer (1879-1945): a German soldier who fought in World War I and later became a World War II military leader.
- Dieter Schnurer (born 1949): a German chess grandmaster and former president of the German Chess Federation.
- Hasso Schnurer (1925–2005): a German architect and university professor responsible for a number of iconic modernist buildings in West Berlin.
- Johann Gottfried Schnurer (1790–1848): a German composer, organist and music theorist.