Surname Stettner - Meaning and Origin
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Stettner: What does the surname Stettner mean?
The last name Stettner is a surname of Germanic origin which means "living near the path". It is believed to be derived from the pre 7th century Germanic word "steon" meaning "a path" or "a roadway".
The Stettner family originally lived in an area where a path or roadway existed and as a result the occupants acquired the name as a descriptive sign of their place of abode.
The surname is mainly found in the northwestern part of Germany in the area that was formerly the province of Prussia. It is also found in Austria, Switzerland, Alsace, Luxembourg, and France.
Today, the Stettner surname is most common in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It has only been in relatively recent times that an increase in immigration from these countries has caused the name to become more prevalent in other countries around the world.
As a result, a number of different variants of the surname including Steiner, Stöhner, and Steiener have developed and are also commonly found.
Throughout history, the Stettner surname has been associated with the notable achievements of many individuals. These achievements have spanned across various fields including business, education, the arts, politics, and medicine.
Order DNA origin analysisStettner: Where does the name Stettner come from?
The last name Stettner is believed to have originated in the southern German region of Bavaria. It is most commonly found in Germany, and the surrounding countries, such as Austria and Slovakia. Stettner is also found throughout the United States, particularly in midwestern states such as Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
The name is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "stote" which is a type of bridge. It is believed to have been a surname often attributed to blacksmiths in Bavarian villages due to its origin. The name is also associated with people in the construction industry, as it could have also been used to denote someone who worked with stone or was an engineer.
Regarding its current prevalence in the United States, according to the 2020 US Census, there were approximately 2,176 Stettners living in the United States; a small fraction of the over 159 million individuals residing in the US at the time of the census. In Germany, the prevalence is a bit higher with around 23, 246 people carrying the surname according to a 2020 estimate.
Overall, although the last name Stettner is far from ubiquitous, it is a common name in certain parts of Germany and in the midwestern United States. Those bearing the name are likely the descendants of families from Bavaria who immigrated to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Variations of the surname Stettner
The surname Stettner has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variants of Stettner include Stettener, Stettenor, Stetonner, Stettnor, Setterner, and Steener. These surnames are all derived from 'Stedinger', an old German term used to describe someone who lives in a settlement or a town. The spelling of Stettner may have also been altered over the years due to dialectical influences, resulting in the various spellings mentioned above.
The surname can also be found in other countries outside of Germany as a German immigrant surname. For example, in Norway the surnames Stetner, Stetnaer, Steiner, and Staetner are all variant spellings of Stettner. In Hungary, the surname is rendered as Szettner, and in Austria as Stettner.
Variations of the surname also exist in other languages. In Jewish families, the surname is often rendered as Shtetner. In Russian, it is rendered as Shtetner or Shtetnerov. In Swedish, it is rendered as Stettner.
The surname Stettner is a popular surname across the world, with a substantial population bearing the surname in Germany. In the United States, it is ranked 12,347th in terms of the most common last names.
Famous people with the name Stettner
- Reinhold Stettner (1928-1984), Austrian neurologist and pioneer in neuroradiology
- Joseph Stettner (1900-1995), American painter
- Richard Stettner (d. 2021), American businessman, philanthropist, and former president of Macy's
- Jay Stettner (1936-2017), American water skier
- Rudolph Stettner (1925-2016), American physicist
- Georg Stettner (1853-1913), Austrian painter
- Adelheid Stettner (1850-1913), German coloratura soprano
- Franz Stettner (1913-1945), Austrian resistance fighter
- Katarina Stettner (born 1967), Swedish actress
- Henryk-Mieczysław Stettner (1915-1944), Polish war hero