Surname Younger - Meaning and Origin

Younger: What does the surname Younger mean?

The surname Younger is derived from a Proto-Germanic word that could have several different meanings, including “younger brother” or “youthful one”.The name first appeared in England in the 11th century and was recorded in several forms including Yonger, Yugoslavia, Young, and Yeonger. It is likely that the surname arose from fraternal relationships, where one family member was named to distinguish the two members because they were of different ages. Younger could also be derived from an Old Norse term meaning “worker” or “servant”.

The Younger family was granted a coat of arms, which originated in Germany and was registered with the city of Hamburg. The crest pictures a red heart with a crown, while the family motto is “Semper Fidens”, which translates to “Eternally Faithful”.

The surname Younger is most commonly found in the United States, England, and Scotland. In the US, the surname primarily appears in areas of the midwest, such as Ohio. Interestingly, George W. Younger founded the first brewery in St. Louis in 1864.

The most notable members of the Younger Family include the notorious American outlaws Cole, Jim, John, and Bob. They were part of the notorious James–Younger Gang, which was responsible for robbing several banks, trains, and stagecoaches throughout the western states in the 1870s.

Overall, the last name of Younger carries a rich history and has a few different possible interpretations all with different coinciding histories.

Younger: Where does the name Younger come from?

The last name Younger is most commonly found in North America, especially in the United States. The name is a derivative of the surname Young, which originated in England. Younger is a particularly popular name in the United States, ranking in top 1,000 popular surnames in 2018. It is most common in states like New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

The Younger surname has unlikely roots in the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066. It was first found in the northern county of Durham, where the Young name was first recorded. The variations of this name, such as Younger, Yonger, and Younkner, made their way over to North America, with original adoptees coming from the British Isles. Younger genealogical records show that today, many of these families are spread out across the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Some notable figures with the last name Younger are the Canadian politician Thompson Francis Younger, and the American film producers, Peter and Bob Younger. The film production company, The Younger Brothers, is named after them.

The Younger name is also associated with a popular American beer brand, Coors Light, which is a lager brewed by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. This beer was first brewed in 1978 under the company's president, Joseph Coors. Coors was the grandson of Adolph Coors, who took over a brewery bearing his name in 1873. The company bears the name of both him and his nephew, William Coors, both of whom had the last name Younger.

Variations of the surname Younger

The surname Younger is rich in variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin. The following list is a comprehensive overview of the different versions of Younger.

Variants:

* Younker

* Yunker

* Yunkers

* Yunkar

* Youngar

* Jungers

* Jungar

Spellings:

* Youinger

* Youngere

* Younter

* Yoidenare

* Younder

* Youndare

* Yoonder

* Youndar

Surnames of similar origin:

* Jung

* Yung

* Jang

* Yong

* Yanc

* John

* Yank

* Johannes

The surname Younger can be associated with branches of other Germanic and Jewish families by delving into the etymological origins of the name. The name is derived from the Old German for ‘younger’, meaning ‘son’, making it related to the given name of Johannes. From the Old High German, the given name of Jung and many other variants derived, such as Yung, Jang, Yong, Yanc, and John. The surname Yank, a shortened version of the word ‘Yankee’, most likely descends from Johannes. Through further variants and spellings, the surname has grown, ultimately presenting its current version as Younger today.

Famous people with the name Younger

• Tony "Younger" Warren, British screenwriter and producer
• Malcolm Younger, former Scottish footballer
• Miriam A. Younger, Scottish mathematician
• Alecia Beth Moore (P!nk), singer, songwriter and actor
• Madeleine Stowe, American actress
• Corbin Bleu, American actor
• Mark Younger-Smith, British producer
• Liz Younger, American actress
• Adam Younger, British singer
• Dick Younger, English comedian
• William Younger, English bishop and theologian
• Bette Younger, American author
• Matthew Younger, British politician
• Ian Younger, Canadian politician
• Margaret Younger, British author
• Andrew Younger, Canadian politician
• Jordan Younger, American fitness blogger
• David Younger, Scottish politician
• Kevin Younger, former American football player
• Vincent Younger, lawyer and politician from Northern Ireland

Other surnames

YoungYoung-KinYoungbloodYoungkenYoungkinYounglove