Surname Ungar - Meaning and Origin
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Ungar: What does the surname Ungar mean?
The last name Ungar is of Ashkenazic Jewish origin and is derived from the German word Ungar meaning “Hungarian”. It is likely that the original bearer of the name came from Austria-Hungary and may have identified with that nation’s language, culture, and customs. Alternatively, it could be a descendant of a convert to Judaism who had been taken prisoner during one of the wars between the Hungarians and the Turks.
The surname Ungar is quite common in Europe and is spread across multiple countries, most prominently in Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. It may also be encountered in the United States and Canada. Variants of the name outside of the European context include Oinger, and Oinger.
The name has undergone a variety of phonetic changes throughout different countries but could be written originally as Ungerer, or Oinger, and subsequently shortened to Ungar, Oiner, and Unger respectively.
The surname Ungar is likely associated with an occupational reference as it could refer to an imperial servant or envoy who had adopted the Hungarian language. It is also possible that it was a personal characteristic or a characteristic of an ancestor, signaling that the family had originated from Hungary. This is possible given the wide spread and dispersion of the Ungar surname across Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisUngar: Where does the name Ungar come from?
The last name Ungar is an Ashkenazic Jewish surname which is thought to have first originated in Germany or Austria. It is a fairly uncommon last name, even in Jewish communities, however it can still be found in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as areas with a historically large Jewish population.
In particular, Ungar is still prominent in Hungary, where it likely first appeared hundreds of years ago. It can also be found in cities with sizable Jewish populations, such as New York City in the United States, as well as Tel Aviv in Israel.
Overall, Ungar is a fairly uncommon last name today and the exact origin of the name is relatively unknown. It likely first originated in Germany or Austria, and then spread to other parts of the world as Jews migrated and established communities in different locations. Now, it is most commonly found in Europe, particularly Hungary, as well as the United States and Israel.
Variations of the surname Ungar
The surname Ungar is believed to have derived from the Middle German term ungar, meaning “Hungarian”. As a result, the variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin vary based on the language and regional accent.
In German, the surname Ungar is spelled Ungerer, Unger, Uengeler, Uengler and Ungarre, depending on regional pronunciation. In Polish, Ungar is Ungerer, Unger and Ungier. Hungarian spellings are Uungar, Uengar, Uengerer and Oungar, and in Italian, it is commonly spelled Ungaro.
Variants of the same name in English are Unger, Oungar, and Ungar. Common surnames or names of the same origin are Ungaray, Ungarowicz, Ungarowsky, Ungarstein, and Ungerleider. In Dutch, the surname is spelled Ungere, while in Swedish it is Ungerer. The surname also has successors in French and Spanish, being spelled Ongarino and Ongar respectively.
Overall, the surname Ungar has variations across the world, depending on the language and culture of the region of origin. It is likely that many of these surnames are a derivative of Hungarian, German, and other central European names.
Famous people with the name Ungar
- Stu Ungar: American professional poker player and a multiple World Series of Poker Main Event champion
- Jennifer Ungar: Canadian human-computer interaction specialist, focusing on the design, usage, and evaluation of interactive systems
- Max Ungar: American lawyer and former president of the San Francisco Bar Association
- Otto Ungar: Austrian poet and playwright
- Sabine Ungar: Austrian-born American artist
- Robert J. Ungar: American clinical psychologist
- Carl Ungar: Hungarian-born American political activist
- Andor Ungar: Austrian chemist
- Michaela Ungar: German jewellery designer
- Bonifazio di Pitati Ungaro: Italian painter and goldsmith