Surname Seiffer - Meaning and Origin
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Seiffer: What does the surname Seiffer mean?
The last name Seiffer is of German origin and is believed to be derived from the ancient Hebrew personal name ‘Zeev’. It is believed that a section of this Jewish lineage may have arrived in the German region of the Low Countries due to religious and political persecution during the Middle Ages.
The surname Seiffer is believed to be a patronymic surname. This type of surname is derived from the first name of the father of the initial bearer, typically by adding an affix. In this case, the surname is believed to have been formed from the personal name 'Zeev' by appending the suffix ‘-er’.
The pronunciation of the name Seiffer is derived from standard German pronunciations, and the meaning of the name is believed to be derived from the ancient Hebrew name 'Zeev'. The direct translation of the name is assumed to mean 'wolf', indicating that those bearing the surname were descendants of an ancient Hebrew lineage that likely arrived in Germany during the Middle Ages.
Today, the surname Seiffer is common throughout Germany, Austria and the Low Countries. It is generally thought to indicate that those bearing the name are the descendants of those ancient Hebrew families.
Order DNA origin analysisSeiffer: Where does the name Seiffer come from?
The last name Seiffer is most commonly found in the United States, particularly among Ashkenazi Jews. While its origin is unclear, it may have originated in Germany or Poland. A casual search of the U.S. Census Bureau's database shows the last name Seiffer being concentrated in the northeastern states of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. However, smaller pockets of people with the last name can be found in other states, mostly concentrated in the states of California, Maryland, and Florida.
In New York, early records of the Seiffer name are found among the arrivals of Jewish immigrants who left their homes in Germany and Poland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Seiffer name can be found among the family trees of many prominent New York families, including the Lehman family, who made their fortunes on Wall Street.
The Seiffer name still carries its weight in most parts of the United States, but it has dwindled in popularity since its peak in the early 20th century. Though the number of American residents with this surname is growing, generational changes and marriage outside this ethnic group have weakened the visibility of the Seiffer name today.
Variations of the surname Seiffer
The surname Seiffer is a surname that originates from Middle High German and Swiss German. It is derived from the root word "seif", which means knife or sword. It was adopted as a last name by individuals in those regions who made or sold weapons.
Variants of Seiffer include Zeyffer, Zeiffer, Zeeffer, Seiffer, Sieffer, Zyffer, Syffer, Seifer, Seyfer, Seeffer, Seifer, and Zeifer.
Spellings for the surname Seiffer include Sayfer, Siifer, Seifer, Sayffer, Zayfer, Seefer, and Sefer.
Surnames of the same origin as Seiffer include Seyffert, Seyferth, Seifert, Zyfert, Seeffert, Saifert, Safer, Saefer, Saifarth, Seifarth, and Zeifarth.
The variations of the Seiffer surname have been used in Germany and Germany's surrounding regions since the late 1600s. It can be found in records from counties in Germany dating as far back as the 17th century. Today, the name continues to be used in a number of different countries, including Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Seiffer
- Judy Seiffer: An American professional poker player.
- Josh Seiffer: An American psychotherapist, speaker, and media analyst, as well as a professor of Psychiatry at Tulane University School of Medicine.
- Frederic Seiffer: A German-born Jewish entrepreneur, philanthropist and art collector.
- Evelyn Seiffer: An American actress and film editor.
- Adolf Seiffer: A German-born architect and town planner.
- Paul Seiffer: An American lawyer and civic leader.
- Rebecca Seiffer– An American visual artist, curator and filmmaker.
- Sammy Seiffer: An American basketball player.
- Deborah Seiffer: An American voice actress and video game voice actress.
- Stephen Seiffer: An American doctor and healthcare policy expert.