Surname Kreuzau - Meaning and Origin
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Kreuzau: What does the surname Kreuzau mean?
Kreuzau is a German surname, deriving from the name of the town of Kreuzau in the district of Düren in North Rhine-Westphalia. The place name is derived from the Old German words "kriut" meaning “cross” and “ouwa” meaning “promontory." It likely refers to a place in the area where a cross once marked a prominent hilltop.
The first recorded use of the family name Kreuzau dates back to the 1500s, when it was a given name to males in the region. Over time, it became used as a surname care of a custom known as “patronymics”, where the given surnames were derived from the name of a person’s father. This indicates that, centuries ago, the Kreuzau family likely inhabited the area around the town of Kreuzau.
Historically, the Kreuzau surname was a common one among people in The Lower Rhine area, the Low Countries, and Belgium. It can be found throughout Germany today, mostly concentrated closer to its origin points of Nordrhein-Westfalen and Rheinland-Pfalz.
No matter where the Kreuzau family may be located in the modern day, they can take pride in the history that comes along with the name. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of a family that has long-called the Kreuzau area home, and it will be a lasting reminder of their unique past.
Order DNA origin analysisKreuzau: Where does the name Kreuzau come from?
The last name Kreuzau is generally associated with German speaking countries, particularly in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Today, the last name is still fairly common in this area, particularly in areas around the Rhine River including Kreuzau, Wermelskirchen, Bergisch Gladbach, Leverkusen, and Bonn.
The name Kreuzau can be traced back to the middle ages, when Kreuzau was first mentioned as a settlement in the 11th century. During this time, Kreuzau developed rapidly as a key trading post along the riverside and was granted significant city privileges, which further encouraged growth and prosperity. As a result, the area became well-known for its wealth and the families living here became increasingly influential. Over time, these families became associated with the local area and members of those families were given the name “Kreuzau”, which eventually became a common last name.
Although still common in German-speaking countries, Kreuzau is not strictly limited to Germany’s borders. The name appears across various European countries, including Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, hinting at a wider spread of German-speaking families and the name that identifies them.
Variations of the surname Kreuzau
Kreuzau is a German surname derived from French-influenced language, meaning “cross ridge” or “cross of hills.” The various variants, spellings, and surnames of Kreuzau include Cruzenau, Kreuzan, Kreussau, Krezow, Kreisau, Kreuzzau, Kresow, Krezow, Kreuzow, and Crisow.
Kreuzau is a common name in Germany, with a particularly large concentration of people with this surname in the western part of the country around Rhineland-Palatinate. This surname is also found in areas which formerly belonged to Germany, such as the area around today's Poland. The variants of this surname are even more widespread, appearing in countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, and the United States.
The form of the name Kreuzau has stayed the same in certain areas of Germany over the years, but is also often seen in different variants on the same documents. Some of the more common variations that can be seen include Kreizau, Krezelau, Kreuz425, and Kreuzelau. In some cases, people with the surname Kreuzau have also adopted alternative spellings such as Kräusau, Kreuzl, Krözau, Kresau, and Kreßau.
The other surnames that are closely related to Kreuzau are based on the same word or phrase, but have slightly different spellings. Those surnames include Kreussau, Krezow, Kreisau, Cruzenau, Kreuzzau, Kresow, Krezow, Kreuzow, and Crisow. The sources for these spellings are generally either from other languages converting the name to different spelling forms or from regional pronunciations of the same root word.
In short, Kreuzau is a German surname with a variety of variants, spellings, and related surnames based on its root word. Some of the variants are regional or country-specific, while others are adopted from other languages or simply reflect regional pronunciation of the same root word.
Famous people with the name Kreuzau
- Andreas Kreuzau: Andreas is a German actor, known for his roles in films such as Who Am I: No System is Safe and The Wave.
- Benjamin Kreuzau: A Bavarian politician, known for his involvement in the Bavarian National Party.
- Frank Kreuzau: A German sprint canoeist who won a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Hans-Peter Kreuzau: A German soccer player who played for Bayern munich between 1987-1989.
- Johannes Kreuzau: A German astronomer, who studied the origin of the moon and the planets.
- Klaus Kreuzau: The former athotha of Concordia in Giessen, Germany.
- Olaf Kreuzau: A German rally driver who won the ADAC Rally Trophy in 2000.
- Ute Kreuzau: A novelist and travel writer who is best known for her books about the Caribbean.
- Wilhelm Kreuzau: A German painter and sculptor who created many bronze sculptures of children.
- Wolfram Kreuzau: A German scientist specializing in evolutionary biology and biogeography.