Surname von Scharfenberg - Meaning and Origin
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von Scharfenberg: What does the surname von Scharfenberg mean?
The last name von Scharfenberg is a German surname, derived from the root word “scharf,” which means ‘sharp’ or ‘keen.’ Thus, the surname is thought to be of occupational origin, meaning that it likely originated as a reference to someone with a particularly sharp or keen sense. This could have originally referred to someone with a sharp intellect or clever wit, a particularly keen eye, or perhaps a renowned skill in some artistic or craft field.
The surname might, as well, have referred to someone who was a sharp shooter with firearms or a swordsman. As a result, von Scharfenberg might have evolved from a nickname given to someone who was particularly talented with weaponry, turning into a hereditary surname given to their descendants. Whatever the original reason for the usage of this surname, it likely evolved into a surname of hereditary nobility later in its history, as that use of von in German typically denotes that the person belongs to the nobility.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Scharfenberg: Where does the name von Scharfenberg come from?
The last name von Scharfenberg is primarily found today in Germany, although it is also common throughout Europe where German ancestry has been present for centuries.
The earliest records of the name von Scharfenberg date back to the 11th century in what is today Germany’s Moselle Valley, where the family resided in a castle near the village of Scharfenberg.
The name von Scharfenberg originates from the German term ‘scharf’, which means sharp or pointed. This was likely in reference to the family’s legendary sharpshooting ability and/or their sharp business acumen.
In the late 18th century, members of the family emigrated to the United States, establishing a bee farm in Pennsylvania. While many of the stateside descendants of the von Scharfenberg family eventually assimilated, the name and its legacy remain.
Other branches of the family have continued to live in Germany, including those living in the districts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bavaria. Today, the von Scharfenberg name appears on records of birth, marriage, and death from this region.
Though fewer than 1% of German citizens have the surname von Scharfenberg, its legacy and influence in German history are vast, evident in both its legacy and preservation by the modern German-American community.
Variations of the surname von Scharfenberg
The surname von Scharfenberg is derived from the Middle High German word "scharpf" meaning "sharp end". Variants of the surname von Scharfenberg include von Scharfenberger, Sharfenberg, Scharffenberg, Scharffenberger, Sharffenberg and Sharffenberger.
Von Scharfenberg is also spelled as Von Scharfenberg, Von Sharfenberg, Von Scharffenberg, Von Scharffenberger, Von Sharffenberg and Von Sharffenberger. The spelling with an "e" at the end of the surname is more traditional, while the spelling with an "a" is considered more modern.
Other surnames of similar origin include Scharpf, Scharpenberg, Sharpenberg, Sharpenberger, Scharpfenberger and Scharpfenberger.
Variants of the von Scharfenberg surname are also popular in parts of other countries such as Austria, where it is spelled "Von Schönfenberg" and in Switzerland, where it is spelled "von Schönenberg". In Poland it is spelled "Świeżyński".
In the United States, the von Scharfenberg surname is often found as Shafenberg, Schaffenberg, Sharfenberg, Scharfenburger, Sharfenburger and Shaffenberger.
The von Scharfenberg surname is also seen in surnames that do not have the word "von," such as Sharf, Scharf, Sharff, Scharff, Sharfen, Scharfen, Sharffen and Scharffen.
In Ireland, Scharfenberg is sometimes found as Scarborough and in England where it is sometimes recorded as Sharpin.
Famous people with the name von Scharfenberg
- Mathilde von Scharfenberg (1846–1893): German author, painter, and art historian.
- Count Johann Jakob von Scharfenberg (1783–1844): German mediatized nobleman and influential legal theorist.
- Hugo von Scharfenberg (1851–1914): German bank director and political figure.
- Bernd von Scharfenberg (1925–2000): German journalist and author.
- Martin von Scharfenberg (1586–1629): German baroque poet and author of several major works of Baroque literature.
- Lothar von Scharfenberg (1929–1974): German film director, scriptwriter and producer.
- Richard von Scharfenberg (1877–1931): German military officer who served in World War I and WWI.
- Karl von Scharfenberg (1845–1910), German veterinarian and director of the veterinary department of the Prussian Ministry of the Interior.
- Lothar von Scharfenberg (1850–1917): German doctor who specialized in bacteriology and hygiene.
- Dietrich von Scharfenberg (born 1975): German politician and member of the Free Democratic Party.