Surname Seltmann - Meaning and Origin
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Seltmann: What does the surname Seltmann mean?
The last name Seltmann is German in origin. It is derived from the Old German word "selten", meaning "last" or "rare". It is believed that the name came into existence as a nickname for someone who was the last of his line, perhaps the last of his family or the last of the settlers in a village, or who had an unusual or rare surname.
The Seltmann surname can be found in both Germany and other countries around the world. It is an uncommon name, but it can be found in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and various countries across Europe.
In Germany, Seltmann is often seen as a combination of two German words, "selten" (rare) and "mann", meaning man. It is believed that the name was originally used to refer to a man who was the last or rarest of his family.
Seltmann is a name with a long and complex history. It originates from the Old German word "selten", meaning "last" or "rare". Over time, the name spread through Germany, as well as other parts of the world, and became more common. Although the name may still be uncommon or rare today, it is nonetheless an important part of the German culture.
Order DNA origin analysisSeltmann: Where does the name Seltmann come from?
The surname Seltmann is most commonly found in Germany. The name originated from the German name Adolf Seltmann, which means "noble strength". In the 1800s, Adolf Seltmanns moved to various regions in Central and Eastern Europe, which contributed to the spread of this surname.
The most populous regions where the Seltmanns are found today are Berlin and Brandenburg in Germany, and the states of the former Soviet Union, especially in Lithuania and Ukraine.
In East Prussia, the surname was most common in the counties of Allenstein, Marienwerder and Bromberg, from which numerous Seltmanns migrated to other parts of Europe in the 19th century. The frequency of the Seltmann surname in East Prussia is now almost nonexistent.
In modern times, Seltmanns can now be found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, as those countries were the primary destinations for Germanic immigrants in the 1800s. Among the descendants of these immigrants, Seltmann is a somewhat rare name.
In the United States, Seltmanns mainly reside in states such as Pennsylvania, Texas, and California. The surname is also common in Canada, where the larger concentrations are located in British Columbia and Alberta.
No matter where in the world they now call home, many members of the Seltmann family are keeping their German heritage alive by celebrating German holidays, cooking traditional dishes from Germany, and practicing the language.
Variations of the surname Seltmann
Seltmann is a German surname that likely originated from Middle Low-German term "zeltmar" meaning shelter or a place to stay, and the suffix "-man," which indicates an occupation. As a result, the surname likely indicated an occupation related to shelter or a place to stay. Over time, it has developed a range of variants and spellings that include Selterman, Seltman, Seltermann, Seltzmann, and Soltmann. It is also the root of the name Zelterman, which has also been Anglicised into Zeltman and Celtman.
In some cases, the surname has been found in Jewish records spelled Selzman. This spelling is derived from the Yiddish form of Zelterman which was commonly used in Prussian areas before the Holocaust.
Like many German family names, Seltmann has its various regional variations. In some areas of Germany the name is spelled as Keltman, Keltmann, and Czeltmann, the latter likely indicating a more Slavic variant of the same root of Seltmann.
Overall, the Seltmann name may be spelled in a variety of ways, such as Sechelman and Sechelmann, which is likely derived from the Middle High German “segelman” or "sækerman" which mean cellarman or warehouseman respectively. The Seltmann surname is shared across many countries in Europe and the Americas, and it has come to represent a range of different occupations and cultures. Listing them all would serve no real purpose as such, but it's worth noting that the Seltmann surname is a form of the original name “zeltmar,” and its variants and spellings still reflect its original meaning of shelter or a place to stay.
Famous people with the name Seltmann
- Ulrike Seltmann: a professor and former vice-president of the University of Potsdam in Germany.
- Thomas Seltmann: an Austrian historian and journalist.
- Sina Seltmann: a German singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
- Kevin Seltmann: an American attorney and former political staffer for former U.S. Representative Judy Biggert.
- William Seltmann: a German amateur astronomer based in Mahnburg, near Leipzig.
- Kurt Seltmann: a former German football (soccer) player.
- Arnd Seltmann: a German geographer and co-founder of the Association of German-speaking Geographers.
- Charlotte Seltmann: a German politician and member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany).
- Barbara Seltmann: a former German cross-country skier.
- Harald Seltmann: the former Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IWT).
- Agnes Seltmann: a German Olympic sailor who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.
- Paul Seltmann: a German botanist and physicist who was part of the team project of producing an Encyclopedia of Plant Anatomy.
- Breno Seltmann: a Brazilian professional football player.
- August Seltmann: a former German tetra-athlete and track and field athlete.
- Elisabeth Seltmann: a German actress who has appeared on several films and television series.