Surname Bednorz - Meaning and Origin

Bednorz: What does the surname Bednorz mean?

The last name Bednorz is of German origin. It is derived from the German word" bedarfs", which means "requirement".

The Bednorz family line is quite old and traces its roots back to the fifteenth century. The family is noted for producing successful craftsmen, merchants, and farmers.

The Bednorz surname is often associated — though not uniquely— with the regions of Upper Lusatia, Saxony, and Mecklenburg. It is particularly common in the Schwaben and Silesian regions of Germany, and among German immigrants to the United States, Canada, and South America.

The Bednorz surname is said to refer to someone who “required" or “needed” something. This may relate to the Bednorz family’s tradition of practical skills that were essential for survival in medieval German life. It may also reflect the Bednorz family’s established presence as smallholders and tenant farmers for many generations.

Whatever the origin of the Bednorz surname, it remains connected to the hardworking and enterprising attitude that has seen the Bednorz family thrive across the globe. In modern times, Bednorzes have become successful professionals, entrepreneurs, and people of influence in their respective fields.

Bednorz: Where does the name Bednorz come from?

The last name Bednorz appears to be most commonly found today in Germany, Hungary, and parts of Austria and Poland. The name is not found too heavily in the US, but there are Bednorzes living in a handful of states.

The German spelling of the surname is "Bednorz", but there are variants in other countries, including "Bednorsz" in Poland and "Bednarsz" in Hungary. The name itself is derived from the Middle High German word "bednarz", which means "locksmith". It would make sense that a locksmith would have a name like Bednorz since it literally tells us what profession they work in.

In Germany, the name is fairly common and is found primarily in Bavaria and in the east. In Hungary it is also quite common and can be found in the north, as well as in parts of Romania. In Austria, it can also be found in the south, in the state of Carinthia.

In the US, the name is slightly more rare. According to the US Census, there are only 15 Bednorzes in the country, with the most in California, Tennessee, and Texas. While the Bednorz surname isn’t as common there as it is in Germany, Hungary, and Poland, there are still quite a few with the name scattered across the United States.

Variations of the surname Bednorz

The surname Bednorz is a habitational name, meaning it originated from a place of origin. It is believed to have originated in Eastern Germany, and was possibly derived from the Old German words “Bettel”, meaning “ask”, and “Nore”, meaning “mountain”.

The variants of the name Bednorz include Betznorz, Beddenorz, Bedenorz, and Bittenorz. There are also variants of these surnames, including Bednarz, Betznarz, Beddinarz, Bedminarz, Bittenarz, and Bittinorz.

A lot of variants stem from the same root, as variations in spelling and pronunciation created different branches of the same family. For example, Polish-speaking families may write the name as Bednorz or Będnorz, whereas in Germany the spelling may be Bedenorz or Beddenorz.

In some cases, the Bednorz variants may have been adopted by families who had originally had different surnames. It is possible that some of the variations stem from a different origin altogether, such as Bednarczyk, a name derived from the Slavic word “bedny”, meaning small or poor, or Bedér, which comes from the Old German word, “bet,” meaning “home.”

The surname Bednorz has been held by many renowned families over the centuries. Some notable bearers of the name were Swiss Cell biologist Robert Betznorez, Finnish researcher Minna Bednarz and American professor Fran Bittenorz.

Famous people with the name Bednorz

• Johann Georg Bednorz: German physicist and Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1987 for work on high-temperature superconductivity together with K. Alex Müller.
• Ulrich Bednorz: German professional cyclist in the Tour de France and member of the German national road race team.
• Helgvard Bednorz: German football manager and former footballer with Bundesliga experience.
• Andrzej Bednorz: Polish mathematician, specializing in algebraic geometry and representation theory.
• Raymond Bednorz: professional golfer from Switzerland who has won events on the European, Asian, and Canada tours.
• Thomas Bednorz: German former tennis player who reached the quarterfinals at The Big Apple Open in 1989.
• Lucas Bednorz: Swiss musician, producer and composer specialized in electronic music.
• Lauren Bednorz: American actress and model from Chicago, Illinois.
• Karl Bednorz: German officer in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II.
• Harry Bednorz: Canadian-American former basketball player, coverted to broadcasting after his playing career in the 1980s and 1990s.

Other surnames

BednorsBednorschBednortz

Comments or additions to the name "Bednorz"

28.11.2024
The etymology of "Bednorz" presented in this article is completely wrong! It comes from the Polish word "Bednarz", meaning cooper/ crafter who make wooden barrels etc. Word bednarz is Old Polish / Slavic and still in use in Polish, thus presenting it as Middle High German is very misleading and totally incorrect. There was probably a Middle-East-German word such as bütenœre having the same meaning as Polish bednarz, but you may easily see which word looks closer to bednorz.

Please read more accurate sources such as: https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/bednorz#, which also present etymology of the word, not just some random (Old) German words that may sound similar.

There are a plenty of people in Poland with surnames such as Bednorz / Bendarz, Bendarek (small Bendarz), and Bednarczyk (son of Bednarz).

I'm Polish and I've never heard about a surname such as Bednorsz. However, there are more than 1000 Poles with surname "Bednorz" (many of them living in Silesia in Poland), and more that 15000 Poles with surname Bednarz.

Silesia is known to have been heavily germanized during Poland's occupation by Prussia and Austria between 1795 and 1918. Many Slavic people were forced to use English and it became a part of their identity, so many of them migrated to modern-day Germany or were expelled to new borders after Second World War. That's why there are many Germans with this surname.

Summing up, Bednorz surname is of Polish / Silesian origin. It is a simple modification of surname Bednarz meaning a cooper. Don't get misleaded by this page.