Surname Schwanfelder - Meaning and Origin
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Schwanfelder: What does the surname Schwanfelder mean?
The last name Schwanfelder is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word ‘swanvilt’ which means ‘swan field’. It is a habitational name for someone from a place called Schwanfeld in Germany. Over time, the spelling of the name has changed from Swanvelt to Swanfield to Schwanfeld to Schwanfelder.
The name is believed to have been given to a local landlord or landowner who was responsible for the upkeep of the area’s swans. It is also possible that the name was referring to an area with a significant number of swans or a specific land area where swans lived.
Schwanfelders can be found today as far away as the United States. The name is still found in many areas of Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as parts of other European countries like France, Austria and Switzerland.
Although the original meaning of the name has been lost over centuries, it still provides an interesting insight into the unique history of the Schwanfelder family. It is also an interesting reminder of just how interconnected the different countries in Europe were in the past, and of the ever-changing spelling of the name over time.
Order DNA origin analysisSchwanfelder: Where does the name Schwanfelder come from?
The last name Schwanfelder is mainly found in Germany today. It is a German surname that is concentrated mainly in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, lower Saxony, North-Rhine Westphalia, and Saxony. It is believed that these areas were historically inhabited by different families who shared the same surname.
The name Schwanfelder is derived from the Old German phrase “schwandtruck”, which translates roughly as “the great forest”. It was first recorded in the year 1488 in what is today Berlin-Brandenburg area. Over the centuries, Schwanfelders have often inhabited rural areas and small villages, although many left rural areas in the 19th century to seek employment in the cities.
Due to emigration in the past centuries, especially in the 19th century, the surname is also found in the larger German diaspora, with notable concentrations in the United States, Canada, Chile and other countries in Latin America, as well as Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Many Schwanfelders in the U.S. can be trace their roots in the Midwest, especially in Minnesota.
In Germany, today Schwanfelders lead largely unrelated lives, and many are unaware of the origin of the surname they share. However, their common roots may contribute to strong feelings of national identity in people who share the surname, wherever they may live.
Variations of the surname Schwanfelder
The surname Schwanfelder is derived from the Middle High German word swanvelle, which means "swan's field". It is a locational surname, meaning it was originally given to a person from a place called Schwanfelder or a similar variant. Variants of this surname include Swanfield, Swanfeld, Schwanfeld, Schwanfelder, Schweinfelt, Schwenfeld, Swingfield, and Swanfeldt among others.
Surnames derived from Schwanfelder often originate in the German region, with Schwanfelder families being recorded in Germany since the beginning of the 15th Century, although some families bearing this surname have also been recorded in France and England.
Surnames derived from Schwanfelder vary in spelling, due to both regional and personal differences. For example, Schwanfelder in northern Germany is often spelled Schwenfeld, while Schwanfelder in southern Germany is often written as Schwiemfeld. In some cases, the spelling may have developed differently in different regions, leading to a variety of spellings for the same surname within the same family.
Relatives of the Schwanfelder surname may also have adopted different surnames over the years; for example, those with the surname Schwemfeld may have adopted the name Schwenfeld in some instances. Similarly, those with the surname Swingfield may have adopted the name Swanfield in some instances. Despite the differences in spelling, families with these surnames are likely to have the same surname origin and should not be considered unrelated.
Famous people with the name Schwanfelder
- Bob Schwanfelder, American college basketball player
- Raymond Schwanfelder, German medical doctor
- Augustus Schwanfelder, European-American jurist
- Jacob Schwanfelder, German sculptor
- Samuel Schwanfelder, Austrian lawyer
- Andrew Schwanfelder, American Olympic athlete
- Friedrich Schwanfelder, German composer
- Franz Schwanfelder, German opera singer
- Ella Schwanfelder, Austrian soprano
- Walter Schwanfelder, American architect
- Jerry Schwanfelder, American basketball coach
- John Schwanfelder, American theatre producer
- Dr. William Schwanfelder, American astrophysicist
- Edward Schwanfelder, American actor
- Margaret Schwanfelder, American piano teacher
- Christine Schwanfelder, German painter
- Alexander Schwanfelder, German amateur botanist
- Ulrich Schwanfelder, German botanist
- Siegmund Schwanfelder, German banker
- Irene Schwanfelder, Austrian soap opera actress