Surname Steinach - Meaning and Origin
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Steinach: What does the surname Steinach mean?
Steinach is a German surname, which originates from place names near the town of Rothenburg in Germany. It is an old name that developed from sources of the Middle Ages. Literally, Steinach means “stone creek” and was named after a small creek in the area.
Historically, Steinach is an occupational surname, with those who bore the name having worked as a quarryman or may have built bridges, walls, or dams with stones. They might also have been engaged in removing small stones from fields with the use of a sieve. This was known as a Steinachbauer or "stone fill builder," so individuals who used the last name Steinach may have been involved in this type of labor.
The history of the Steinach surname is not limited to craftwork. It is also believed that some people with the name Steinach were of Jewish origin, having emigrated from areas impacted by the Holocaust in the early 20th century.
Over time, the name Steinach has become widespread throughout Europe, and those carrying it now live in countries such as Switzerland, France, and Austria. The name is typically pronounced as “sh-tayn-ahhk” in German.
Order DNA origin analysisSteinach: Where does the name Steinach come from?
The last name Steinach is most commonly found in the German speaking countries of Austria, Germany and the Swiss canton of Ticino. It is also found in several other parts of Europe, including Italy, Slovakia, Poland and Czech Republic.
The name is especially common in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, where one in every 600 people are named Steinach. In Germany, the name is most commonly found in the South of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, where one in every 2,500 people are called Steinach.
The origin of Steinach is the German word “steinach” meaning “stream”, and reflects the presence of several small creeks and streams in the area where families first settled. In addition, the Steinach river, which passes through the Bavarian cities of Steinach and Regensburg, could also have given the name to the families living in the area.
The region in which the families lived is close to the Austrian/German border, which indicates the moving of population between the two countries, as well as immigration from surrounding countries over the centuries. As such, the last name Steinach can be found in many places around the world today.
Variations of the surname Steinach
The surname Steinach is a German and Jewish locational name meaning "from Steinach". Variants of the name include Steinach, Steinacher, Steynach, Steinah, Steinback, Steinbach, Steynache, Steynach, Steynacher, Steynach, Steynah, Steinbacher, and Steinpacher.
A patronymic surname is derived from a person's father's name and usually ends with -s, -son, -sen, -ssen, -tz, -etz, or -he. It also includes spelling variants like Steynrich, Steynrichs, Steinichs, Steynrichsen, Steynrichsz, Steinrich, Steinrichsen, Steinrichsz, Steynrisch, Steynriesch, Steinrisch, Steinriesch, Steynritz, Steinritz, Steinyritz, or Steinertz.
The Jewish surnames of Steinach include Steiny, Steyne, Steiner, Stein, Steinger, Steyn, Steinbarth, Steinhard, Steinhaus, Steintal, Steinhausser, and Steinhauer.
Other geographic variants include German Steinhagen and Steinhausen, Austrian Steinböck as well as Steenbock, and Czech Stejnachov and Stejnachtov. Steinebach and Steinwach are spellings of Steinach found in Rhineland.
In the US, the name has evolved slightly into Steinway and Steinberg. The popularity of Steinach can be seen within countries, with many bearing the surname living in Germany, Austria, and Poland.
Famous people with the name Steinach
- Eugen Steinach (1861-1944), Austrian biologist and physiologist
- Victoria Steinach, Jewish artist
- Margaret Steinach, American abolitionist
- Hermann von Steinach (1866–1939), German endocrinologist
- Emile Steinach (1861—1944), Austrian officer and author
- Maximilian von Steinach (1881–1956), German-born American industrialorganizer
- Johann Balthaser Steinach (1768-1831), Austrian painter
- Franz von Steinach (1854-1943), Austrian paleontologist and malacologist
- Stefan Steinach (1644–1722), Austrian theologian
- Otto Steinach (1877–1944), German biochemist
- Albin Julius Steinach (1850-1925), Austrian photographer
- Gerard B. Steinach (1890-1959), American editor and publisher
- Clement Alphonse Steinach (1794-1863), French architect
- Charles Louis Steinach (1879-1940), American physician
- George Abel Steinach (1723-1804), Austrian doctor and mineralogist
- Stephen Steinach (1857-1925), Austrian chess master
- Giuseppe Antonio Steinach (1699-1771), Italian sculptor
- Paul Peter Steinach (1907-1996), Hungarian lawyer
- Karl Adolf Steinach (1820–1881), Austrian astronomer
- Willi Steinach (1908-1978), Austrian lawyer