Surname Zehntner - Meaning and Origin
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Zehntner: What does the surname Zehntner mean?
The last name Zehntner originates from Germany, and it is derived from the German verb “zenten,” which means to tithe or pay a tithe. It was first used to refer to someone who collected tithes or taxes from local citizens or farmers for a local church. Later, it became a family name.
The name Zehntner is a occupational surname; most likely, the family’s first members were tithe collectors for a particular church or area of Germany. This surname is most commonly found in Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria. The variant spellings of this surname include Zenthner, Zeantner, Zehnter, and Zachenter.
Today, the surname Zehntner is still fairly common in Germany and other European countries. Many of the descendants of this surname still live in the same region of the world, and the name is still associated with tithe collectors. It is believed that the name Zehntner signifies strong German roots for any family possessing it.
Order DNA origin analysisZehntner: Where does the name Zehntner come from?
The last name Zehntner is most commonly found in Europe, predominantly in Germany and Austria. Zehntner is an extremely rare last name and is found in only a few hundred households in Europe.
In Germany, the last name Zehntner is concentrated primarily in Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavarian regions. In Bavaria, the last name is common in the Bavarian region of Franconia near Nuremburg. In Baden-Wurttemberg, Zehntners are mostly found in a small strip of southwestern Germany along the River Rhine.
In Austria, the Zehntner name is most common in Lower Austria and Vienna. Other regions where the Zehntner name is found include Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
The last name Zehntner is virtually unheard of outside of Europe. There are a few Zehntners in the United States, but they are ancestrally related to the Zehntners in Europe.
The last name Zehntner is a rarity, as many families with this name have died out, merged into other families, or changed their names. Despite this, it is still common in its native regions, though it remains sparsely populated elsewhere.
Variations of the surname Zehntner
Zehntner is a German surname and has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants and spellings of the name are Zehnter, Zehnder, Zehnther, Zehnthner and Zenthner. These variants result from the name’s origin in Middle High German, when the spelling was not as standardized as it is now.
The surname Zehntner is derived from a traditional occupation. The root of the name ‘zehnte’ means ‘tithe’, and the suffix ‘er’ stands for ‘one who’. Therefore, the surname was originally given to individuals who were responsible for collecting tithes, typically for a local church.
Given its toponymic origin, the surname Zehntner is also a form of patronym. The patronymic variant of the name is ‘Zehntnerin’. The feminine form is used to indicate that the surname has been passed down through the mother’s maiden name.
Other surnames that have the same origin as Zehntner include Tenter, Zehendner, Zenthner, Tenscher, Tentner and Zehnder. These surnames were derived from the Middle High German form of the name, meaning ‘one who pays the tenth part’.
The surname Zehntner is also known to have a Jewish origin. In this case, it is derived from the Hebrew name Yankev, which means ‘God’s precious gift’. The Yiddish variation of the name is Tenner.
In some instances, the surname Zehntner also appears as ‘Sontner’. This could be a result of a transcription error, or simply a result of the surname’s transformation through generations.
In conclusion, the surname Zehntner has a variety of variants, spellings and surnames that come from the same origin, and these have been used historically to identify individuals of the same family or social class.
Famous people with the name Zehntner
- Marcel Zehntner: Austrian football player
- Karl Zehntner: Austrian sports shooter
- Rudi Zehntner: Italian-born Austrian football and ice hockey player
- Robert Zehntner: Austrian author
- Alfred Zehntner: Austrian alpine skier
- Heinrich Zehntner: East German footballer
- Rado Zehntner: Croatian football player
- Sandro Zehntner: Brazilian professional footballer
- Josef Zehntner: Austrian skier
- Ruben Zehntner: Swiss judoka