Surname Söhns - Meaning and Origin
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Söhns: What does the surname Söhns mean?
Söhns is a German surname, likely meaning ‘sons’. The suffix ‘-söhns’ was in use by the late Middle Ages as a patronymic (a form of a family name formed from the father's given name) in northern Germany, particularly in East Frisia and Westphalia.
The surname likely originated as a reference to the male descendants of a particular father, with ‘söhns’ being a corruption of the Low German word ‘sohn’, meaning “son.’ Conversely, the name may have arisen from a nickname among some families—with sohn being a shortened form of various longer Germanic names such as Gottschalk, Sifrid, or Siegfried.
Over time, many families bearing the last name of Söhns have migrated to other parts of Germany, as well as other European countries and the U.S. It is still a common German surname today, and is sometimes seen as the shortened form ‘Sohns’ in some parts of the U.S.
No matter its exact origin, the surname Söhns is a reminder to those bearing it of their family’s legacy and their deep cultural roots.
Order DNA origin analysisSöhns: Where does the name Söhns come from?
The last name Söhns is most commonly associated with Germany and Europe; however, it can be found in other parts of the world as well. According to U.S. census statistics, the last name Söhns is primarily located in the states of California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. There is currently an increasing population of Söhns in the United States.
In Germany, the last name “Söhns” is most common in the North Rhine-Westphalia region and in Bavaria. The states of Lower Saxony, Baden-Wuerttemberg, and Hesse also see some presence of the Söhns family. Germany also has an additional diaspora population of Söhns families living abroad, particularly in the United States, Belgium, France, and Australia.
The Söhns name is not limited to German immigrants; it has also been adopted as a surname by individuals from other countries. For example, there are Söhns families in the Netherlands, Poland, and Ukraine.
In any case, the last name Söhns is carried by a variety of individuals and families living and working in different parts of the world. Male and female members of the Söhns family can be found in both small communities and larger cities, from Germany to the United States, and even to other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Söhns
The surname Söhns is of German origin derived from the personal name Sohn, which is the term for son. There are various spelling variants for this surname including Sohns, Soehns, Soends, Soehn, Sohn, Sohns, Soens, Sonds and Sons.
The surname Söhns is also found in other parts of Europe by way of immigration. For example, in Sweden and Denmark the surname is spelled as Söns. In other parts of French-speaking Europe the name is spelled as Sainz and Saenz. Another spelling variant in the English language can be found as Sones and in the Netherlands as Sohnsz.
There are also various surnames which have descended from Söhns, such as Söhnchen, Söhngen, Söhnet, and Söhnlein. These surnames are often associated with Germany, although are also found in other areas of Europe, such as Hungary, Austria, and Switzerland.
Other surnames related to Söhns include Zöhns, Zons, Zehns, Zehnns, Sehns, Soehne and Sohenes. The popularity of the surname Söhns has spread throughout Europe, as well as to the United States and Canada, with the surname often being found in English-speaking countries as Sons or Sones.
Famous people with the name Söhns
- Holger Söhns: Holger Söhns is a German farmer, author, and founder of a sustainable way of life. He is best known for his extensive writings on sustainable farming and rural life.
- Helmut Söhns: Helmut Söhns is a former professional footballer who played for various teams in the Bundesliga during the 1970s and '80s.
- Erich Söhns: Erich Söhns is a German entrepreneur and philanthropist. A Holocaust survivor, he has donated more than $15 million to Jewish causes throughout Germany and the world, making him one of the most generous donors to Jewish causes in the post-war era.
- Dieter Söhns: Dieter Söhns is the former president of the German Football Association (DFB). He served in the role from 1992 to 1996 and after leaving the association, became a successful sports industry consultant.
- Werner Söhns: Werner Söhns is a German film and television director and producer. He won the Golden Berlin Bear award in 1997 for his film, 'Best of Lustig'.
- Michael Söhns: Michael Söhns is a German lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) from 1988 and served in the Bundestag from 2002 until 2009.
- André Söhns: André Söhns is the General Director of the German railway company, Deutsche Bahn. He took up the role in 2011 and has since undertaken several major development projects, transforming the company into a global mobility provider.
- Uwe Söhns: Uwe Söhns is a bioethicist and philosopher. He is known for writing on bioethics and contemporary moral theory, and is a professor at the University of Frankfurt.