A person is always attracted by a beautiful, unusual, mysterious and overseas - this also applies to names and surnames. For example, if you look at popular social networks, you will notice that people often supplement their names with interesting nicknames or even change them to a foreign manner. Recently, German surnames have become mega-popular, which is easily explained by their harmoniousness and special charm inherent in this nation.

Analysis of the origin of German surnames

Surnames of German origin really attract and intrigue with their sound. If you pronounce any of them - Schmidt, Weber, or, for example, the name Müller, familiar to everyone from the film “12 Moments of Spring”, it will sound short, clear, concise, somehow very capacious and complete, as if it made a huge sense. Besides, all of them are perfectly combined with almost any name, regardless of its national origin and gender. It is these qualities that determine universal recognition, but few people know what the true meaning of German names and surnames is.

Initially, the Germans wore only names that they received from their mothers for a reason, but with a certain intent. In ancient times, it was believed that the name bears a special power in itself and can magically affect the character and fate of a person (and even today, few will argue with this statement). Therefore, German parents called their children a name that has a special double meaning.

Here are some examples:

  • Brunghilda - warrior and woman;
  • Frideric - ruler and rich;
  • Adolf - the wolf and the noble;
  • Rhaimonda - protector and wisdom;
  • Günther - the army and the invincible.

Later, apparently, when the namesake became too much not to be confused, the Germans began to add peculiar nicknames to the names, which could indicate the following:

  • craft - miller, cook (Koch / Koch), baker (Becker / Becker), merchant (Kaufman / Kaufmann), coachman (Wagner / Wagner);
  • belonging to some kind - the children of Ganz (Ganz), Gilbert (Gilbert), Junghans (Junghans);
  • personal qualities - small (Klein / Klein), black (more often about hair, Schwarz / Schwarz), long (meaning high, Lange / Lange), strong (Stark / Stark);
  • place of birth or residence - Bruch / Bern, Berne;
  • similarities with various objects or natural phenomena - a horn (Horn), abyss (Schlund / Schlund), air (Luft / Luft), spring (Lentz / Lentz).

The Germans liked the idea of ​​nicknames and made life easier for them, since it became much clearer about which Ganz, Peter or Karl were in question. therefore it was decided to write in official documents not only names, but also nicknames, which later turned into surnames and began to be transferred from parents to children, and from husbands to wives. By the way, a little later in Germany a decree was issued banning triple surnames (in 1993), which began to appear in connection with the re-marriage of German women. It is the origin of Germanic surnames that determines their capacity and sonority.

In the sections below, the most beautiful options are selected that are suitable for women and men, as well as a list of surnames from Germany, the most popular today in the whole world and directly in Russia.

Beautiful German last names for girls

So, this section presents a selection of the most beautiful German family names for girls, among which there are definitely options that fit perfectly with any name.

As an example and evidence of compatibility, it is worth considering several Russian female names, both common and not very:

  1. Nastya (a common Russian female name, though with Greek roots, but it doesn’t matter), that is, Anastasia goes well with the name Fisher - Anastasia Fisher.
  2. Mashenka (also Russian, but this time with Jewish roots), Maria sounds great, coupled with the name Schneider - Maria Schneider.
  3. Thekla (rare, ancient and very Russian) - even for such a peculiar and a little village name, you can easily pick up a beautiful surname in the German manner, for example, Thekla von Feuerbach.

By the way, the prefix von today is only a beautiful transition, but in former times it meant belonging to the aristocracy.

For example, you can consider the names of famous German women and their meanings:

  • Marlene Dietrich / Dietrich - master key;
  • Yvonne Catterfeld - competent, lucky;
  • Nina Hagen / Hagen - a city in the west of Germany;
  • Helena Fischer / Fischer - fisherman;
  • Stephanie Kloss / Kloß - lump;
  • Stefi Graf / Graf - Count;
  • Magdalena Neuner / Neuner - nine;
  • Annie Frisinger / Frisinger - hairdresser.

Further, options that work well with many female names:

  • Fertich / Fertich - agile, ready to travel;
  • Brown / Braun - brown, bear;
  • Becker / Bäcker - baker bun;
  • Herbel / Herbel - astringency;
  • Krause / Krause - curly, curly;
  • Heit / Heit - steppe, wasteland;
  • Lentz / Lentz - spring;
  • Schiller / Schiller - flicker;
  • Sommer / Sommer - summer;
  • Schneider / Schneider - tailor;
  • Kling / Kling - ring, sound;
  • White / Weit - white, distant;
  • Kai / Kai - embankment, pier;
  • Koch / Koch - cook, cook;

German last names: list

Representatives of the stronger sex also will not have to be upset, since their names will also contain perfectly matching and harmoniously sounding male German surnames, such as:

  • Krieger / Krieger - fighter, warrior;
  • Grubber / Gruber - miner;
  • Schmid (Schmidt) / Schmied (Schmidt) - a blacksmith;
  • Schreiner / Schreiner - joiner;
  • Koller / Koller - coal miner;
  • Wacker / Wacker - brave, decent;
  • Schlosser / Schlosser - locksmith;
  • Wolf - Wolf
  • Eisemann / Eisemann - iron man;
  • Erhard / Erhard - strong-willed, tough;
  • Stark / Stark - powerful, strong;
  • Schäfer - Shepherd, shepherd;
  • Gertner / Gärtner - gardener;
  • Diener - employee;
  • Huntsman / Jäger - hunter;
  • Chamberlie / Schambär - shy bear;
  • Falk / Falk - Falcon;
  • Schneidmiller / Schneidmiller - daring Miller;

The most popular and common options

Separately, it is worth stopping at the top ten most popular German surnames demanded in their native land and terribly fashionable today in Russia.

Seats in the top 10 were as follows:

  • the first - Müller / Müller (flour mill, miller);
  • the second - Kaufman / Kaufmann (merchant, merchant);
  • the third - Schneider / Schneider (cutter, tailor);
  • fourth - Fisher / Fischer (fisherman);
  • fifth - Webber / Weber (weaver);
  • sixth - Bauer / Bauer (farmer, farmer);
  • seventh - Richter / Richter (expert, judge);
  • eighth - Newman / Neumann (beginner);
  • ninth - Zimmermann / Zimmermann (carpenter);
  • tenth - Kruger / Krüger (innkeeper, potter).

This list can be continued almost endlessly, as many German surnames are popular. They were not included in the top ten, but Schmidt and Mayer, Schneider and Weber, Schulz and Becker, Wagner and Hofmann, Schaeffer and Koch, Klein and Wolf, Schröder, Lemman and others are very close by.

Thus, the brevity, conciseness and organicity of the German people were reflected even in their surnames, which Russian citizens loved so much. And it is not necessary to take drastic measures - change the name in the passport, you can simply become an "indefinite" German in the vastness of social networks.

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