Surname Zellmann - Meaning and Origin
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Zellmann: What does the surname Zellmann mean?
The last name Zellmann is of German origin and is thought to be a variant of Zellmer, meaning “seller of land.” In ancient German, Zell meant “small estate” or “piece of land,” and merchants with this last name would be involved in the sale and transfer of properties.
The Zellmann name can be found in records as far back as the 1300s, when Ivo de Zellemen was listed as a prospective son-in-law in a document in Wartow. From here, records of Zellmann families continued to be found in Germany, specifically in the states of Bavaria and Hessen.
The name eventually spread across the globe with the help of immigration from Germany in the 19th century. Today, Zellmann can be found across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
In more modern times, the name continues to be found among German-speaking countries, and many of its descendants have become involved in business in some way. Whether it be selling or buying land, investments, or other financial services, the Zellmann name continues to be closely associated with trade and commerce. Because of this connection to business, the name now carries some prestigious gravitas as a sign of a business-savvy mind.
Order DNA origin analysisZellmann: Where does the name Zellmann come from?
The last name Zellmann is most common today in German-speaking countries, particularly Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is also found in areas with historically German-speaking populations, such as parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania. Some people also bearing this last name can be found elsewhere in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world due to the diaspora of German-speaking populations during different times.
The etymology of the name Zellmann is not fully understood, however, the most likely explanation is that the name derives from a location, likely a village or settlement. This is often the case for German surnames, which are usually derived from places or professions. It is possible that the name refers to someone living near a cell or house in a settlement, or that it was related to a particular occupation related to such an area.
The last name is not particularly popular, but there are still numerous people carrying it today; based on current census data, it is estimated that around 2,800 people in Germany alone carry this surname. This is a small portion of the total population, however, and the surname is unlikely to be found frequently even in some of the countries or regions where it is most prevalent.
Variations of the surname Zellmann
Zellmann is a surname of German origin and has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant is Zellman, while the spelling variations include Zellmann, Zellman, Sellman, Sellmanns, Zelman and Sellmann.
Zellman is an interesting variant of Zellmann because it is the German word for “magpie”, so those with the surname Zellman may have derived from a family of magpies.
The surname Zellmann is also found in other European countries, with variants including Zellma, Zellmaer, Selman, Zeerman, Zilman, Zylman, Tselman, Tsilman and Zelma.
In Bavaria, the surname Zellmann is spelled as Zeilmann, Zeilman, Zeilm, Zeilemann.
The surname can also be found in countries outside of Europe, such as Canada, the United States, South Africa and Australia. In the United States, some variants of the name are based on the spelling of the name in the German language, such as Tillman for Tucholke, Zilm for Zellmann and Zelmann for Zeilemann.
In Australia, the variant Zellman is found, and in South Africa, the spelling is transcribed to Sellman.
To summarise, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Zellmann include Zellman, Zellma, Zellmaer, Selman, Zeerman, Zilman, Zylman, Tselman, Tsilman, Zeilmann, Zeilman, Zeilm, Zeilemann, Tillman, Tucholke, Zilm, Zelmann, Zeilemann, Sellman and Sellmann.
Famous people with the name Zellmann
- Frank Zellmann: an American figure skater who competed as a professional in several American and international competitions.
- Larry Zellmann: a former American ice hockey coach who coached teams in the NHL and AHL.
- Richard Zellmann: a German-born American physicist and best known for his work in the area of nuclear physics.
- William Zellmann: an American tech entrepreneur and investor, founder of Zelltech Ventures.
- Rudolph Zellmann: an American architect and builder who designed and built a number of memorable homes and public buildings.
- Ari Zellmann: an Israeli choreographer, dancer and teacher of modern and contemporary dance.
- Herbert Zellmann: a Viennese artist and writer who studied philosophy, psychology, and aesthetics in Germany.
- Heinz Zellmann: a German-born American biologist, academic and author.
- Laura Zellmann: an Austrian-born American film maker, screenwriter, director and producer.
- Johannes Zellmann: a German-born American violist and conductor.