Surname Mennen - Meaning and Origin
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Mennen: What does the surname Mennen mean?
The last name Mennen is of Dutch origin, derived from the personal name Meinhard and the suffix -en, which is used to denote the possessive case. It means "of Meinhard," where Meinhard is commonly assumed to have been a Germanic name, derived from the words magin and hard meaning "strong and brave."
The first recorded instance of a person bearing the name Mennen is from the Dutch town of Nijmegen, where a person named Willem Meinhardz van Mennen was recorded in 1277.
Originally, the name Mennen was derived from a given name. It could have been passed down through the generations as a patronymic name, as the practice of giving children their father's given name was common until the sixteenth century.
It's also possible that the name was chosen as a sign of respect for another person, such as a military leader or hero. In any case, by the nineteenth century, the purpose of the name Mennen had become more associated with notable families, and the name was used to denote a person who belonged to a particular family.
Today, the last name Mennen has become a more spread out surname, and is found all around the world. Although, it is most common in the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States. People with this last name are connected both by location and by name, and represent a unique group of people and their shared heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisMennen: Where does the name Mennen come from?
The last name Mennen is primarily found in the Netherlands and Germany, though some people with this name are found in other European countries, the United States, and beyond.
In the Netherlands, it is estimated that around 36,000 people with the Mennen surname live, primarily in the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Limburg. In the United States, the last name is found most predominantly in the Midwest, with many Mennen families living in Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Chicago is also home to a number of Mennen families.
In Germany, there are approximately 14,000 people with the Mennen name, with the majority of them living in the eastern part of the country, especially in the states of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. There is also a small community of Mennen in South Africa, most likely a result of Dutch immigration during the early part of the 20th century.
In addition to these countries, there are also a small number of people with the Mennen surname in Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Though the Mennen surname is not overly common, it has established roots in the countries mentioned above. As time progresses, those with Mennen ancestors will likely find more and more people with this name in different areas as people spread out and intermarry with those of different backgrounds.
Variations of the surname Mennen
The surname Mennen is primarily of German origin, and appears to be derived from an Old German personal name, the byname "Maginand," which is composed of the elements "magin," meaning "might," and "and," meaning "brave." It is associated with several variant spellings, including Mennon, Mannon, Moennen, Meenen, Mennin, and Manon.
Mennen is also an expanded version of the Dutch surname Menen, which is derived from the Middle Dutch word “Menne”, meaning “strong” or “brave”. Additionally, it can be found in some instances as a variation of the surname Meunier, which originated in Germany, and is derived from the Old German word “meuni”, meaning “miller”.
In some cases, the Mennen surname can be found in the United States as Maennan, resulting from the American adoption of the German speaking immigrants. In other instances, Mennen is also changed to Mannen or Maenners. Further, the German version of the name is sometimes seen as Manians, or even Mennains.
Mennen is a quite common surname in the United States and Germany. In both countries, the name is widely dispersed, with the highest concentrations of it being found in the western regions of the Midwest and the Rhineland region of Germany. It is also quite common in the Netherlands, where it is found particularly in the south of the country.
In addition, variations of the surname, such as Mennig, Menen, Menhenn, Minne, and Mingn, can often be found throughout Northern Europe.
Famous people with the name Mennen
- Henri Mennen, Dutch politician
- Willem Mennen, Dutch journalist and author
- Leopold Mennen, Dutch artist
- Willem Frederik Mennen, Dutch naturalist and entomologist
- Marie Mennen, Dutch royalty
- Louis Paul Mennen, Swiss Olympic bobsledder
- Paul Mennen, German politician
- Albert Mennen, German entrepreneur and inventor
- Friedrich Mennen, German anthropologist
- Willy Mennen, German actor
- Arthur Mennen, German art collector
- Jeff Mennen, American ice hockey player
- Gene Mennen, American politician
- Royden Mennen, American writer and screenwriter
- Maureen Mennen, American entrepreneur
- Jonathan Mennen, American musician
- Caroline Mennen, American writer
- Michael Mennen, Canadian actor
- Kevin Mennen, Canadian hockey player
- William Mennen, Canadian senator