Surname Tönnis - Meaning and Origin
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Tönnis: What does the surname Tönnis mean?
The surname Tönnis is an old Germanic surname which is believed to have originated in the medieval period. It is most likely derived from a personal name associated with the Old High German word "tunno", meaning "spirit". Tönnis is also thought to have derived from the Old Norse personal name “Þōnn”, which means “giant or colossal”.
The name was widespread in the Middle Ages and is relatively common in northern Germany today. It is found in all German-speaking countries, as well as in many other parts of the world as a result of immigration. Many variations of spelling also exist, such as Thon, Tönnis, Tonne, Tonn, Thun, Thonius, and Toenne.
The surname is associated with several notable figures in German-speaking countries, including theologians, scientists, musicians, and authors. Most recently, Tönnis has been associated with the German racing cyclist, Marcel Tönnis, who won several medals for Germany in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
Although the exact meaning of the name Tönnis is unknown, it is believed to be associated with spirit, strength, or greatness. Today, the surname is still widely used across the globe and continues to be associated with important figures in German and international history.
Order DNA origin analysisTönnis: Where does the name Tönnis come from?
The last name Tönnis is most commonly found today in northern Germany, especially in small towns and villages in the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The origin of the name is still uncertain, with some sources suggesting French Huguenot or Dutch origins, while others suggest a Baltic background. It is possible that the name is derived from a personal name, related to either Antonius or Anton, from which it could have become a patronymic name meaning ‘son of Anton’ or ‘son of Anthony’.
The name has also been found in records dating back to the Middle Ages, such as tax and parish records. In 16th-century France, there was also an unrelated variant of the name, spelled Tonis. It appears that the spellings of the name varied at that time, with the spelling Tönnis becoming more popular in later records.
Today, Tönnis is a fairly rare surname. It is estimated that there are only about 2000 people in Germany who bear the name. However, it is still common enough that there are several towns and villages in Germany where the name is most common. The most notable of these is Völksen, a small village in Lower Saxony, where the name is particularly frequent and well-known.
Thanks to the popularity of genealogy research, the name Tönnis is becoming more familiar to people worldwide. People who bear the name have often traced their family back to Germany, whether their ancestors immigrated from there in the 19th century or before. As a result, Tönnis has started to establish a small but reliable international presence.
Variations of the surname Tönnis
The surname Tönnis is of Germanic origin and is generally spelled Tönnis, though variants can also include the variant spellings Tönnig, Toennig, and Toennis, as well as the surnames Tonnig, Teunis, and Teuneis.
The common element to all of these surnames is the Germanic root Tönn, which most likely comes from the personal name Tönnus or Theodonicus, though the exact origin of the name and its full meaning are lost to time.
The original spelling of the surname, Tönnis, is derived from the Low German vernacular, meaning it is used more generally in the Northeastern regions of Germany, such as in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The variant spellings Toennig and Toennis are also adopted from the Low German vernacular, while the spelling Tonnig is adopted from the High German vernacular. Meanwhile, Teunis and Teuneis are derived from the Dutch vernacular.
It should also be noted that there are some spelling variations adopted from other languages, including Tena, Tenis, Tonnis, Tonies, and Tounis, but these spellings are adopted either from modern adaptations of the surnames or from other non-related languages entirely. Though these modern spellings may appear similar to the aforementioned, they technically carry different meanings.
Famous people with the name Tönnis
- Fabian Tönnis: German basketball player for Bayern Munich
- Christoph Tönnis: German filmmaker, co-director of Belonging: A German’s Search for a Homeland
- Robert Tönnis: German computer scientist and Professor at the Leibniz University of Hanover
- Joost Tönnis: Dutch professional cyclist, part of Team Lotto-Soudal
- Jörg Tönnis: German electrical engineer
- Jeroen Tönnis: Dutch artist
- Fabio Tönnis: German footballer who plays as a defender for Bayern Munich II
- Johannes Tönnis: Dutch figurative painter
- Tim Tönnis: German professional footballer for Fortuna Köln
- Jan Tönnis: German footballer, former striker for Eintracht Braunschweig