Surname Thannhaeuser - Meaning and Origin
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Thannhaeuser: What does the surname Thannhaeuser mean?
The last name Thannhaeuser is a German patronymic surname, which originates from the given name and surname "Thannhauser". It is derived from the Middle High German expression "Tanhûser", meaning "one who lives in a clearing in the forest". As an occupational surname, it probably referred to a woodcutter or charcoal burner.
Originally, the Thannhaeuser name was quite common in southern Germany, including the region now known as the Czech Republic. It is also thought to be related to the Thannhausser family, which had estates in Bavaria during the 19th century. The original form of the name reflects its medieval origins, when people still often took professions as their surnames.
In contemporary times, the Thannhaeuser name is highly respected. Many members of the family are now successful businesspeople or professionals, both in the Czech Republic and in Germany. The name is also carried by several notable figures, including industrialist and entrepreneur August Thannhauser and his son, art collector and founder of The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Justin Thannhauser.
The Thannhaeuser name is an example of a long and storied family history, with its roots stretching back centuries. For modern-day descendants of the Thannhauser line, the name is a source of pride and a reminder of where they come from.
Order DNA origin analysisThannhaeuser: Where does the name Thannhaeuser come from?
The last name Thannhaeuser is most commonly found in Germany. According to the genealogy website, Ancestry.com, it is a German name with an origin in the region of Schleswig-Holstein. According to the same site, the top 5 regions of residence in Germany where people with this name can be found are Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg.
Thannhaeuser is also found in the United States, though it is not as common as it is in Germany. According to MyHeritage.com, the top 5 states where the name is found are New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois.
The name is a variation of the Old German first name, ‘Theodan’ or ‘Theudan’, which evolved to German ‘Theoduser’ as the surname. It means “people's leader”, and most likely refers to the elder members of a family who held the authority as tribal leader.
Despite its strong roots in Germany, the distribution of Thannhaeuser today is global. It is used as a surname in Australia, Austria, France, Sweden, Belgium, among other countries. Thus it can be said that the name is rather widespread and is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
Variations of the surname Thannhaeuser
The surname Thannhaeuser is a German surname originating from either the small town of Thanhausen in the Lower Bavarian county of Dingolfing-Landau or from a now-lost village also called Thanhausen. The most common variant spellings of this surname are Thannhauser, Thanhausen, Thanhauser, Tennhueser, Tennhauser, Theinhauser, and Teinhauser.
In some cases, the surname Thannhaeuser has been changed to similar-sounding surnames, such as Teinhäuser, Teinhus, Teinheimer, and Tennenhaus. Moreover, various spelling variants have been used when transcribing the surname into English, such as Thannhäuser, Thannhouser, Thannheuser, and Thanhäuser.
Older versions of this surname such as Taanhauzer, Tanhaüser, Taanhäuser, Teinhaüser, and Tanhäuser may be encountered. Other variants of this surname include Tannhauser, Tenhauser, Tannheuser, and Tenhauser.
In addition to the surname variants, there are several surnames that are derived from the original surname, such as Thanheiser, Thanheiserova, and Thanheiserova. These are derived from the original surname by adding the suffixes -er, -ova, or -ova.
By virtue of their common origin, many of these variants of the Thannhaeuser surname are interchangeable, as evidenced by registries and records. Moreover, the origin of the surname is still common in many parts of Germany and other German-speaking countries, suggesting that its variants continue to be in use today.
Famous people with the name Thannhaeuser
- Alan Thannhaeuser: American football coach who has served as the Director of Football Operations and Recruiting at Arizona State University.
- Brooke Thannhaeuser: Former professional softball player who played for the US national softball team, and was part of the 1996 US Olympic softball team.
- Eve Thannhaeuser: German sculptor best known for her abstract bronze sculptures, which often feature dancing figures.
- Gunter Thannhaeuser: German-American painter and the youngest son of modernist painter Otto Thannhaeuser who was part of the avant-garde Bauhaus art movement.
- Hans Thannhaeuser: Film director and screenwriter active from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s who was known for his comedies. He directed the 1960 film ``I Was 19.
- Jennie Thannhaeuser: American journalist and publisher who is a proponent of gender equality and founded the Women's International Network News in 1991.
- Otto Thannhaeuser: German modernist painter associated with the Bauhaus art movement who is known for his abstract works that feature vivid colors and rough brush strokes.
- Richard Thannhaeuser: German art collector and curator of the Thannhaeuser collection, which he inherited from his grandfather, the art collector and museum director Gustav Friedrich Hartlaub.
- Wilhelm Thannhaeuser: German physician and writer who was a pioneer of psychology in the German-speaking world, best known for his 1902 novel ``The Alcoholic.