Surname Löw - Meaning and Origin
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read moreLöw: What does the surname Löw mean?
The last name Löw is of German origin and is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word “liuw”, which meant “lion”. It is believed to have referred to a sign of strength, courage, and bravery.
This kind of last name was usually given to someone with a strong or noble personality or a family with a long history of courage and valor. In early records the name was first seen as “Liutwein”, which was a closer match to the middle High German word for “lion”.
Over the centuries, this name has been significantly altered and shifted to reflect the different cultures and countries in which it was adopted. In some countries, including some parts of Scandinavia, the name has shifted to Löv, or Löve, and in France it became Loup or Louv. In other locations such England and Scotland, the original spelling of “Löw” remained unchanged.
Today the last name Löw is found all over the world from Europe to the Americas. It has appeared in notable places like the coaching staff of Italian club team Juventus with manager Andrea Agenzillo, as well as in the German squad for the 2014 World Cup with manager Joachim Löw.
The name Löw is still a sign of strength, honour, and courage that has spanned centuries and been adopted into multiple languages and cultures.
Order DNA origin analysisLöw: Where does the name Löw come from?
The last name Löw is widespread throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland today. Most individuals who carry the Löw last name typically have some connection with either the city of Löw in the former east German state of Brandenburg or the city of Löwenstein in Bavaria. These are the two cities where the Löw surname originates from.
The Löw surname is derived from the Old German, “Löwe”, which means “lion”. While the majority of people with this last name live in Central Europe, there are also small pockets of Löw families in the United States, Australia, and other countries around the world.
In the United States, the highest concentration of Löw families live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – which happens to be the city of Karl Löw, the progenitor of the American branch of the family. In Australia, the population is quite small, but a few Löw families can be found in the areas of Sydney and Perth.
Overall, the Löw surname still maintains a strong presence throughout Central Europe today. It is believed that the first Löw family migrated to Central Europe from Old Polish lands during the 16th century, and their descendants continue to reside in the region to this day.
Variations of the surname Löw
The surname Löw is originating from the surname Levi which is of Hebrew origin and means “joined” or “attached”. It is derived from the personal name Levi, which is associated with the tribe of Levy in the Bible, hence suggesting “son of Levi”.
Most of the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Löw are Loew, Loe, Lo, Levy, Lew, Lewi, Lewin, Lewis, Lui and Luo.
Variants like Löwe, Loewe, Löwenstein, and Löwenhielm are versions of the name with the umlaut. Other forms of the name include Lövé, Lövy, Löv, Levy, Lewy, and Lövine.
The Jewish variants of the name include Loew, Lew, Levy, Lewy, Löwenstein, Löwy, Loewenstein, Lewenstein, and Lewinsohn.
The Italian variants of the name include Liuti, Lewi, and Lui.
The French variants of the name include Lou, Low, Lo, and Liw.
In the United States, the surname Loew is often anglicized to Lewis.
The Portuguese variants include Lew, Liw, Luo, Lui, Levy, Luís, Lewi, Lourenço, Lourenço Tavares, Lourenco, and Lopes.
In the Netherlands and Belgium, the surname is spelled as Loe, Low, Luo, Louw, Loo, and Louwe.
The Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian variants include Löv, Loew, Loev, Löwe, and Löw.
In Russia and Ukraine, the surname has been transliterated into Russian or Ukrainian as Leva, Lev, Levit, Levitin, Lewin, and Lewy. In Spain, the surname is spelled as Lleu, Levy, Lleó, Liuba, and Llobet.
The surname Löw has many other variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, all of which have a rich history behind them.
Famous people with the name Löw
- Joachim Löw: Joachim Löw is a German football manager and former professional player who is the head coach of the Germany national team.
- Bernd Löw: Bernd Löw is a German writer and film director.
- Julius Löw: Julius Löw was a German physician and professor of dermatovenereology.
- Marianne Löw: Marianne Löw was a singer, songwriter, actor, and folk dancer born in 1984.
- Andreas Löw: Andreas Löw is the former manager of the German Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt Football Club.
- Daniel Löw: Daniel Löw is a former German American soccer player who last played for the Kansas City Comets of Major Indoor Soccer League.
- Matthias Löw: Matthias Löw is a Swiss former professional footballer who played for the Swiss national team from 1977 to 1993.
- Arno Löw: Arno Löw was a Swiss writer and poet who was awarded the Grand Prix Schiller in 2000.
- Davide Löw: Davide Löw is a Swiss professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A (NLA).
- Johann Löw: Johann Löw was the Chief Rabbi of Vienna, Austria from 1987 until his death in 2016.