Surname Rathmann - Meaning and Origin

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K. Rathmann

Rathmann: What does the surname Rathmann mean?

The last name Rathmann is a patronymic name derived from the Germanic personal name Rádmann which is probably of Slavonic origin. This name means 'counsel', 'advice', or 'recommendation'. It was common among Germans and Poles in the Middle Ages and was used both as a given name and as a surname.

The Rathmann name can be found in records all over Germany, including the tiny villages of Holstein and Saxony. In 17th century Silesia, the Rathmann name was recorded in the town of Altdrossen and the nearby village of Marienthal. It was also common in the 14th century duchy of Saxony and the Brandenburg area to the north.

In the 19th century, members of the Rathmann family immigrated to America and England. In the United States, the census records for 1920 showed that the largest number of Rathmann family members were living in Michigan.

The Rathmann family is now spread across the globe and, with their migratory history, it has developed multiple variations in spelling. Among these variants are: Ramm, Ramman, Ratmann, Rämann, Ratman, Rathman, and Ratmon.

Overall, the Rathmann name has a strong 9th century Germanic and Slavic history and has been passed down from one generation to the next for centuries. By bearing the name, members of this family not only take pride in their long lineage, but also in the humble origins of their forefathers.

Rathmann: Where does the name Rathmann come from?

The Rathmann surname is primarily found in Germany today. Historically, Rathmann was a popular surname in the German states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, and Lower Saxony. The name is also popular in the United States, and its origins are believed to trace back to German immigrants who settled in the American Midwest in the 1800s.

Rathmann is derived from the German word “Rath”, meaning counsel or advice. Thus, the surname sheds light on a certain type of occupation: a person who gave council or advice. The Rathmann surname is commonly found in records from the early 1800s in areas where a large influx of German immigrants began to settle, like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio.

In the United States today, Rathmann is still a very common last name. Its popularity in the US has decreased over the past few decades, but it is still ranked in the top 3,000 most common surnames. It is also popular in many other countries, such as Canada, Australia, Austria, and other European nation-states, as well as Latin American countries like Puerto Rico and Brazil.

Additionally, there are also families by the same name which have spread to countries such as Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.

Variations of the surname Rathmann

The surname Rathmann has numerous variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of these include Ratman, Ratmann, Ratmane, Rathman, Rathmann, Ratmans, Ratmen, Ratmons, Reatmen, Reatman and Retman, amongst others.

The variants of the surname Rathmann are derided from the words “rad” or “rat” in Old German, both of which translate to "counsel". Rathmann was therefore initially used as a descriptive nickname likely attributed to a counselor or advisor in the Middle Ages.

The origin of the surname can be traced back to the early 13th century, when documents containing the various spellings of Rathmann began to appear. The first official record of the surname was 'Rathman' as it was found in the charter of Mestlin during this century.

It is thought that the surname Rathmann spread throughout Germany during the 14th and 15th centuries, and even further during the 18th century when numerous Germans migrated to other parts of the globe.

As a result, Rathmann is now a widespread surname, particularly in the United States, Canada and Australia. It is not uncommon to encounter individuals with the surname Rathmann of numerous different backgrounds and nationalities.

Famous people with the name Rathmann

• Jim Rathmann: American race car driver who competed in the Indianapolis 500 between 1950 and 1964.
• Bill Rathmann: American businessman, philanthropist, and founder of the Rathmann Family Foundation and Board Member Emeritus of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
• Gary Rathmann: Microsoft executive and co-founder of Nevex Virtual Services Inc.
• Rob Rathmann: Former Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cox Communications.
• Walter Rathmann: Founder and CEO of the Rathmann Group, a consultancy and advisory firm.
• Carl Rathmann: Former Major League Baseball player and batting coach for the San Francisco Giants.
• Adam Rathmann: Professional snowboarder and two-time gold medalist at the 2001 FIS World Snowboard Championships.
• Greer Rathmann: Anthropologist and author of books such as The Art of Anthropology: Essays and Diagrams.
• David Rathmann: Author of the books Beyond Paradise: The Life of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Hollywood on the Hudson.
• Armin Rathmann: German/American painter, draftsman, and printmaker who has had numerous exhibitions of his art around the world.

Other surnames

Rathman