Surname Zigan - Meaning and Origin
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Zigan: What does the surname Zigan mean?
The last name Zigan is of German and Slavic origin, likely from the Middle Ages. The name is thought to come from a personal name derived from the Old German "sig" or "sigwald" meaning "victory" and "wald" meaning “ruler”, signifying someone who was victorious in battle. Alternately, it may originate from the Slavic name "Zigann" and the Czech word "zigan," both of which refer to a wanderer or nomad.
The name Zigan is believed to have first appeared in records as far back as 1562, when Johann Zigan was thought to be residing in the city of Zerbst, located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Over the years, the name was adopted by many of the European nations that descended from the older Germanic states. The name is still popular in countries such as Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
While the precise origins of the name are not definitively known, Zigan is still associated with the concepts of victory, power, and wanderlust. It has been used for centuries to honor the legacies of influential ancestors, and to carry on the spirit of exploration and adventure. To many, it is a proud reminder of the strength and indomitable spirit of those who led the way for generations to come.
Order DNA origin analysisZigan: Where does the name Zigan come from?
The last name Zigan is relatively uncommon today, but there are some places in the world where this surname is more prevalent. In Europe, there are larger concentrations of this name in the countries of Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. In Hungary, the surname Zigan is the 412th most common name, with around 0.0004% of the population bearing it. In Romania, the surname Zigan is the Country's 1799th most common name and is held by approximately 0.0003% of the population. Moldova, another country in Eastern Europe, boasts around 0.0002% of the population with the surname Zigan.
Outside of Europe, the last name Zigan is also found in smaller concentrations in the United States and Canada. In the US, the name is the 22,977th most common name, held by around 0.0001% of the population. The same is true for Canada where the surname is the 27,968th most popular name, held by around 0.0001% of their citizens.
Overall, the last name Zigan is a relatively uncommon surname today and is mainly found in Eastern European countries, as well as small concentrations in the United States and Canada.
Variations of the surname Zigan
The surname Zigan is historically derived from the South Slavic surname Zigan, which is usually Anglicized as ‘Zigon’. It may also appear as ‘Zegon’ or ‘Zijan’, depending upon the particular regional dialect in which it is used.
The same root is used for surnames such as the Czech and spelling variants Zigan, Zigon, Zegon, Zijan, Zykan, and Zygon. This surname is also seen in many other Slavic languages including Slovene (Zigon, Zhigan, Zykan, and Zygon) and Croatian (Zigan, Zigon, and Zegon).
In the United States, this is often seen as Zigon, Zygon and Zegon. These are believed to be anglicized versions of the original South Slavic surnames.
This surname is also commonly seen in Poland, as Zigon and Zykan.
There are also several alternate spellings for this surname, based on the various cultural and language influences that have impinged upon its development, including Slavic, Germanic, and other languages.
These include the Germanic surnames such as Siegene, Seegen, Seygen, Sysgen, and Seegan, as well as the Hungarian and Polish spellings Szigany, Sigony, and Zigony.
A number of German variants such as Ziegele, Zeigel, Zeigler, Zieglschmid, Zeigle, Ziegler, and Zeigler are also associated with this surname.
In spite of these varied spellings, all the versions of this surname ultimately trace their origin to the same South Slavic root.
Famous people with the name Zigan
- Günter Zigan: Austrian former football player
- Thomi Zigan: Swiss former professional football player
- Mihajlo Zigan: Serbian-Montenegrin basketball player
- Tomislav Zigan: Serbian volleyball player
- Jovan Zigan: former Yugoslavian football player
- Jurij Zigan: Slovenian football player
- Mirko Zigan: Slovenian former football player
- Paul Zigan: German tennis coach
- Domen Zigan: former Slovenian ski jumper
- Florijan Zigan: Slovenian novelist and poet