Surname Menningen - Meaning and Origin
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Menningen: What does the surname Menningen mean?
The last name Menningen is of German origin and comes from the German name “Mannig” meaning “many” or “different.” It is a German equivalent of the English name “many” and is thought to be a topographic name referring to a place that had multiple features, topography or owners. The name is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages when many German families adopted the “-ing” suffix to their names, thus creating the last name Menningen.
The origin of the last name reflects the growing importance of identity and emotional attachment to a family name in the Middle Ages. As families became more established, having a recognizable surname became more important in distinguishing individuals and families from those around them. Typically, a family's last name would reflect a unique quality that distinguished them from other families, such as occupation, geographical location, or even physical traits.
Throughout the ages, the last name Menningen has evolved to take on multiple spelling forms, such as Menegen, Manegen, Menighen, and Menningle, although most modern spellings of the name are Menningen and Menninger.
Today, Menningen is a popular last name found throughout Europe and the United States, with the most prominent populations residing in Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Austria, and the United States. It is often used as both a first and last name, and is a common sight in both traditional and contemporary sources.
Order DNA origin analysisMenningen: Where does the name Menningen come from?
The last name Menningen is most commonly found in countries throughout Europe. Germany is one of the countries with the highest concentration of people bearing the last name Menningen, especially in the northwest part of the country in the Lower Saxony region of Germany. Other countries where the name is found include Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and France.
In addition to Europe, the United States has the largest population of people with the last name Menningen outside of the European continent, according to census data from the last census in 2010. The majority of Menningens living in the United States are descendants of those originally from Germany who immigrated to the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Menningen name is also found in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Menningen is also a common name among many Jewish families, as many men bearing the surname changed it in order to escape persecution by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. The change to another surname may have helped some of the Menningens survive that horrible time in history.
Today, Menningens are living in many different countries around the world, with the majority of them still residing in Europe and the United States, while others have spread to different parts of the world due the ability to communicate and travel more easily compared to generations before.
Variations of the surname Menningen
The surname Menningen is a German locational name deriving from the town of Menningen in Würzburg, Bavaria, which is now part of the Bad Kissingen administrative region of Germany. It is also a variant of the surname Menen, which is derived from the same town. Other variant spellings of the surname Menningen include Menen, Menon, Meiningen, Mennegen, Mennig, Menning, and Menniggen.
The surnames Menne and Menner are derivations of Menningen that originated in southern Germany. They are sometimes spelled as Mane, Mene, Menne, Mann, Menz, Mennegen, Mannig, and Meninger. The surnames Mennekens and Menneken are of Dutch origin, and are also derived from Menningen.
In the United States, the spelling of Menningen has been changed to Menning. One branch of the family, located in Long Island, New York, changed their name to Manning. This variant spelling is also used in the United Kingdom. Other variant spellings used in the United States include Menongen, Minningen, Menningham, and Mensing.
Other variants of the surname Menningen have originated from other locations in Germany, such as Fellheim and Simonswald. The Fellheim family is sometimes spelled as Menhen and Mening, and members of the Simonswald branch of the family are often referred to as Menig, Meniggen, and Meninger.
The surname Menningen is relatively rare, and has only been recorded in Germany since the 19th century. Because of its rarity, it is one of the few surnames which has been able to remain unchanged over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Menningen
- Billy Menningen: Former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the New York Yankees from 1972 to 1973.
- Pat Menningen: Former Canadian Football League defensive lineman for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders.
- Steve Menningen: Retired professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Vancouver Vacs in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.
- Eric Menningen: Former NASCAR driver who competed in the 1991 Busch Series (now Xfinity).
- Roehlbert Menningen: Late German gynecologist and obstetrician.
- Badge Menningen: American singer best known as a former member of the country music band Lonestar.
- George Menningen: American freestyle swimmer and former world record-holder in the 100-meter freestyle.
- Alfred Menningen: Central figure in the Baader-Meinhof terrorist group and one of the most wanted criminals in Germany during the 70s.
- Wilfried Menningen: German equestrian competitor who competed in four consecutive Summer Olympic Games from 1968 to 1980.
- Wilhelm von Menningen: Famous 19th century German flutist who was also the first flutist of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.