Surname Thönnis - Meaning and Origin
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Thönnis: What does the surname Thönnis mean?
The last name Thönnis is of German origin and has roots in Saxony. It is either taken from a geographical location, or may mean "poor man's estate". It is likely derived from the German word "Theunis" meaning "servant".
The earliest traces of the Thönnis family can be traced back to the 16th century, when a man going by the name of Joacheim Theunis was an inhabitant of the German city of Basel. The name was mainly associated with various places in Germany, such as Theunisbroich, Thuniswald and Theuniskapelle.
The Thönnis family has since spread across Germany, and today it is a common surname in countries such as the Netherlands, Austria, and also in the USA since the late 1800s after immigrants from Germany moved there.
The spelling of the surname has varied over time, with some variations including Thönig, Thünig, Thännig, Thönis and Thöneis.
Ultimately, Thönnis is a surname which has been associated with a long and proud history and has become synonymous with German culture and ancestry. Historically, it was used to denote a sense of nobility and pride, but today the Thönnis name is simply remembered as a reminder of its origins and a testament to the people who carry it.
Order DNA origin analysisThönnis: Where does the name Thönnis come from?
The last name Thönnis is most commonly found today in the eastern European countries of Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
In Germany, the last name Thönnis is particularly common in the regions of Brandenburg and Berlin. It is also found in the western regions of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
In the Czech Republic, the name is most commonly found around Prague and in the South Moravian and Central Bohemian regions.
In Slovakia, the last name Thönnis is mostly found in the southeast portion of the country, primarily around the capital city of Bratislava.
Outside of Europe, Thönnis is also found in the United States, where immigrants from eastern and central European countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought their surnames with them. This surname is especially common in cities and states, like Chicago, Illinois, that once had a large immigrant population from this region of Europe.
The spelling of the last name Thönnis may vary, with other common variants being Thönnes, Thönis, and Thoennissen.
Variations of the surname Thönnis
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Thönnis are Thoenis, Thoenissen, Thonissen, Tonisse, Tonissen, Thoennesen, Thonessen, Thoeness, Thoenen, Thoen, Thoenner, Thöning, and Thoeneman.
The surname Thönnis is thought to have a Germanic origin, with the meaning “son of the people” or “son of the tribe”. It is believed to have been derived from the Germanic personal name Thoin, combined with the patronymic suffix -ing.
Variants of the surname Thönnis are likely created over time as a result of it being passed down and adopted by different families. These variations in spelling arise due to the countries in which the surname is found, as languages and alphabets vary in different regions and countries.
The surname Thönnis is most commonly found in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. The Netherlands spelling of the name is Thoenissen, while the German spelling would be Thöning. The Danish form is Thonissen, and the Swedish spelling is typically Thoness.
The Thönnis surname is also shared by families in other countries, such as the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other parts of Europe, as migration and immigration bring names to different countries. It is important to note that, in countries like the US and Canada, the Thönnis surname may have been anglicised to Tonisse or Tonissen.
In conclusion, the various spelling variations of the surname Thönnis can all be linked to the same Germanic origin. Migrations and different national dialects have help to create some of the more recent spellings of the name, with each family having its own variation of the name.
Famous people with the name Thönnis
- Marcel Thönnis: German ice hockey player who represented the German ice hockey team in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Dominik Thönnis: German professional footballer who plays as a forward for 1. FC Union Berlin.
- Karsten Thönnis: German tennis player who competed on the ATP tour from 1974 to 1980.
- Martin Thönnis: German sport shooter who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics.
- Marius Thönnis: German modern pentathlete who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.
- Frank Thönnis: German race car driver whose career spans from 1987 to 2011.
- Alexander Thönnis: German fencing master who was appointed as the amateur fencing director for the German Fencing Association in 2000.
- Horst Thönnis: German-born football coach who managed several teams in East Germany from 1969 to 1990.
- Jürgen Thönnis: German contemporary music composer and musicologist who is known for his diverse works in various musical genres.
- Martin Thönnis-Hattenberger: German historian who is best known for his publications on the history of German feudalism.