Surname Ebens - Meaning and Origin
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Ebens: What does the surname Ebens mean?
The last name Ebens has German and Dutch roots, and is believed to have originated in the 16th century as a topographic name for someone who lived near a ridge or spur of a hill. The name comes from the Middle Low German word, ‘eben(e)’ which means flat or even. It is likely that those with the Ebens surname would have originated in an area where the terrain was predominately flat.
This surname has also been recorded in the Netherlands and is most common in the Province of North Holland, its capital being Amsterdam. Records of the name have also been found in the Northern German regions of Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern where it is spelled Ebin, Ewens and Ewen respectively.
Though its exact origin is disputed, some researchers state that it is possible the name could have been derived from the compound given names Ebbe or Eberhard. Both versions are recorded from the 12th century onward and were derived from the Germanic personal name ‘Eberhard’, made up of the elements ‘ebur’ meaning boar or brave, and ‘hard’ meaning brave or hardy.
The Ebens surname is rare and even today, is mainly associated with the small region in Germany where it is thought the family embarked from. The literal meaning of the name is equal to that of those who adopted it in its earlier days, suggesting that the Ebens family have always maintained a degree of resilience and heightened sense of bravery - a trait that can still be found amongst many descendants of the Ebens family today.
Order DNA origin analysisEbens: Where does the name Ebens come from?
The last name Ebens is most commonly found in the Netherlands and Germany today. It is a very old last name that was originally derived from the given name Ebo, which is German for Edwin.
The first recorded use of the Ebens surname dates back to 1433, when Lorentz Ebens was mentioned in Breisgau, Germany. Since then, the surname has trickled throughout the centuries, making its way across Europe and into the United States.
In the United States, there are currently more than 5,000 people carrying the Ebens surname. It is most common in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Although the surname is not particularly common, it can be found in many different areas of the country.
The Ebens family is quite dispersed across the world, being found in numerous countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand. The last name remains a popular choice for new babies being born today, signifying the enduring popularity of the surname.
Variations of the surname Ebens
The surname Ebens is of German origin. It is derived from the name Eben which means “wood”. Variants of the name, both contemporary and older spellings, include Ebens, Ebenes, Ebenhouser, Ebensohn, Ebenstein, Ebenstine, and Ebenstain. There are also variations in the spelling like Ebensohne and Ebenses. In the Netherlands and Northern Germany, the name is more commonly spelled as Ebbers or Ebbes.
The surname Ebens is also a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Eben. During the Middle Ages, the use of such surnames was widely adopted throughout Europe and the practice eventually spread to the Netherlands and Germany, as well as Scandinavia.
In Germany, the name is also found in the form of Ebbing, Ebbinghaus, and Ebbinghausen. In neighboring Switzerland, the name is also seen in the forms of Eb2000 and Ebers. In the Czech Republic, the name is also found in the form of Ebental. In Finland, the name is found in the form of Ebben. In Poland, the variation is spelled as Ebena.
In addition to the variants of Ebens mentioned, there are other surnames of the same origin. These include Eberlein, Eberle, Eberling, Ebert, Ebers, Ebener, Ebner, Eich, Eichel, Eichen, Eisenbach, Eisner, Ellmann, Engel, Fesche, Haag, Halberstadt, Hebel, Heim, Henke, Koch, Koehler, Knoebel, Lange, Maier, Melzer, Meyer, Neuhoff, Räth, Reicher, Ruf, Schlatter, Schmid, Seibert, Teutschen, Tenbruck, Vogel, and Weber.
Famous people with the name Ebens
- Yannick Eb Super Ebens, German footballer
- Landry Ebens, Cameroonian basketball player
- Nils Ebens, German equestrian show jumper
- Sergio Luis Ebens, Chilean architect
- Chris Eben, American actor and musician
- Maurice Ebens, American baseball player
- Bernd Ebens, Belgian footballer
- Pierre Ebens, French-Canadian film director
- Michael Ebens, American ice hockey player
- Andrea Ebens, American glaciologist.