Surname Thönert - Meaning and Origin
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Thönert: What does the surname Thönert mean?
The last name Thönert is a German surname. It is derived from the German words "thon" meaning “clay” and "ert" meaning “place" - literally translating as “clay place”. This would suggest that it was likely first used as a toponymic name for someone who had lived in a village or area that was formed on a clay soil base.
It is most commonly found in the general Frankfurt area and North Rhineland region of Germany, many of which have a long history of clay mining and pottery production. Alternatively, as clay was also used as a building material, it is possible that is was used to denote someone who was a building specialist, i.e. a bricklayer or stonemason.
Though the name is still relatively common in Germany, it has spread further afield with emigration from the country in the 19th century and subsequent generations settling in other countries.
In the American Midwest, the surnames Thoener and Thoner, both believed to be alternate spellings of Thönert, are found in considerable numbers. It is also found in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, having been introduced by German immigrants.
No matter which country the last name Thönert is found in today, it can still be characterized by its original meaning of “clay place” - a reminder of the roots of its carrier’s ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisThönert: Where does the name Thönert come from?
The surname Thönert is found mainly in Germany and some parts of the European continent. It is a very old family name, first found in northern Germany, and can be traced back to the early to mid-14th century.
Since then, the name has spread throughout Germany, as well as to parts of Austria and Switzerland. It is also fairly common in parts of the former East Germany, where it was adopted as a name after the people there were freed from Soviet control.
Today, the name Thönert is still quite common in Germany, where the majority of people with the name live. It is also found within parts of Austria, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe.
In North America the name is much less common. The United States Census Bureau has recorded Thönert as a surname only a handful of times over the past 30 years, and the number of people with this surname living in the United States and Canada is likely to be relatively small.
In short, Thönert is a surname that is still relatively common in Germany and Europe, but is not seen as much in North America.
Variations of the surname Thönert
The surname Thönert is of German origin and dates back to medieval Germany. It is derived from the Middle High German word "thener" meaning "brave warrior".
The variants, Spellings and surnames of Thönert are some of the oldest in Germany. Variants of the name include Tonert, Thonert, Thomert, Thomort, Thonort, Thonard and Thonardt, Thonhardt, Thonhardt, Thonard, Thonard. In some cases, the surname has been altered via phonetic spelling and is also known as Töhnert, Tohrnert, Tournert, or Thurnert.
Surname spellings of similar origin include Tönnert, Tönder, Tönner, Thöner, and Töns.
Thönert has also existed as a given name since the Middle Ages, and is an archaic variant of the modern given name Anton. The name Thönert is still common in parts of Germany and Bavaria, where it is often spelled Thöner, Thönner, or Thönnert.
In some Czech and Slovak areas, the spelling takes on an Anglicized variation, appearing as Tennert, Tonner and Tenner. The French spelling is Toner. There are also many variants in the Scandinavian area that spell the name as Tönert, Tonner, Tunner, Taanner, Tynner, and Taenner.
The surname Thönert is also found in North America, where it has taken on variant forms such as Tonar, Tonner, Toner, and Tonnor. The Anglicized form of the surname is Toner or Thornton.
Overall, there are numerous variations of the Thönert surname which have emerged over time in different parts of the world.
Famous people with the name Thönert
- Camden Thönert: American professional basketball player
- Marius Thönert: German professional football player
- Bill Thönert: Independent film actor, writer, and producer
- Sonja Thönert: German film director and producer
- Michael Thönert: German painter, sculptor, and designer
- Philipp Thönert: German professional tennis player
- Jakob Thönert: German actor and director
- Jochen Thönert: German figure skater
- Ulrich Thönert: German actor and director
- Stefan Thönert: German actor and director