Surname Steger - Meaning and Origin
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A Journey of Discovery: The Emotional Impact of the iGENEA DNA Test and Its Influence on My View of the Steger Family Lineage
Discovering ancestry through the iGENEA DNA test turned out to be more than just about scientific analysis for me. It sparked a profound emotional journey that reconstructed my perception of our family name, Steger, and deepened my connection with my lineage.
V. Steger
read moreSteger: What does the surname Steger mean?
The last name Steger is believed to be derived from a German word or words, but the exact origin is unknown. Most scholars think that it may be derived from the word 'stege', meaning 'bar', 'stake', or 'pile' in old Germanic dialects. Alternatively, it could come from the Ancient German verb 'springen', meaning 'to jump'.
The Steger variations found around the world are believed to have come from a common ancestor, possibly one of Rhenish origin. Those with this last name may trace their origin back to the Rheinland-Pfalz region of Germany, where Steger is more commonly found today, or may have roots in the regions of Switzerland, Alsace, and other parts of Central Europe.
The Steger name is common in Germany and is well-known in Alsace, Lorraine, Swabia, and Bavaria. It's also found in small numbers in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The meaning of the name has not changed over the years. It is still largely associated with the meaning of 'bar', 'stake', or 'pile', or 'jumper'.
No matter the origin, the Steger name is well-known in Germany and many countries beyond, and those with this last name can be sure of a proud heritage of ancestors stretching back centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisSteger: Where does the name Steger come from?
The last name Steger is most common in Germany today. According to the genealogy website Forebears, Steger is the 1,322nd most common surname in Germany, with more than 10,400 people having the name. It is also common in the Czech Republic, the United States, and Austria.
In the German-speaking countries, Steger is associated with an occupational title, meaning "cartman," and the most common origin story is that the name derived from drivers of cart horses. It is thought that some bearers of the Steger name had their livelihood in travel, so the Steger name has been found in various locations, having traveled from its origin in Central Europe, including England, in which the Steger surname has been around since the 15th century.
In the United States, Steger is ranked as the 2,593 most common surname, with a census of 21,241 Americans having said name in 2019. Approximately 1,000 people with the name Steger live in the Czech Republic, and it is the 2,342nd most common name there. The Austrian Steger surname is the 11,148th most common, with 544 people having this surname in 2019.
Overall, the Steger surname is common in Germany, Austria, the United States, and the Czech Republic.
Variations of the surname Steger
The surname Steger has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants and spellings of the name Steger include Stegar, Stegarz, Stagar, Stagars, Stegers and Steglich. Stegers and Steglich are the more common variants found in Germany.
In central Europe, Steger is also commonly found in its original spelling, Stoeger or also known as Stoegers. The original spelling is found in Austria and Switzerland as well as Italy under the variants Stoegers and Stefers. Other spellings of Steger include Stoeger, Stoegers, Stegers, Stegarz and Stegar.
The surnames Stoeger, Steger, Stoehr, Steeger, and Steele are all derived from the same name and have the same meaning, which is "Person from the Town of Steger", derived from the town of Steger, in Germany.
In the United States, the surname Steger can be found in the various spellings such as Stager, Steiger, Steege, Stege, and Stagge. The Steger variation of the name is most notably found in the state of Ohio, where the Steger family had settled in the late 1700's.
Surnames spelled Staeger, Stoneger, Stengel, Steinberger, and Steinbacher are also derived from the Steger surname and have the same origin. The Steinberger variation is more commonly found in the United States, where the Steinberger family had settled in the late 1800's.
Overall, the surname Steger is a diverse surname, with many variations and spellings found throughout the world, all of which have the same origin and meaning.
Famous people with the name Steger
- Matthias Steger: a German cyclist, having competed in numerous events including the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.
- Hans Steger: a guitarist, having played in the popular German rock band Ocean.
- Ina Steger: a racing driver, having won Classical Motorsport Championship in 2011.
- Michael Steger: an actor, perhaps best known for his role as Navid Shirazi in the CW teen drama series 90210.
- Robert Steger: a physicist, having worked at the Technological University of Munich on nonlinear dynamics.
- Jessica Steger: a professional long-distance runner, holding the US national championship for 5k in 2014.
- Kareen Steger: a dancer, known for her classical and modern performances in film and theater.
- Christian Steger: a contemporary artist, having been featured in numerous exhibitions in Europe, North America and South America.
- Markus Steger: a football player, having competed with the German national team in the FIFA World Cup 2018 edition.
- Alexander Steger: a journalist and author, having written critically acclaimed editorials for the German newspaper Der Spiegel.