Surname Frangenberg - Meaning and Origin
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Frangenberg: What does the surname Frangenberg mean?
The last name Frangenberg is of German origin and derives from two words with the suffix "berg" meaning “mountain” or “hill.” In this instance, “fran” comes from Middle High German and is thought to have meant “dangerous,” “frightening,” or “stormy.” So, when translated, Frangenberg could mean “stormy mountain” or “frightening mountain.”
The Frangenberg name is fairly rare. It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 people in the world bear the last name. The name is found mostly in Germany and the United States. Most close relatives of the Frangenbergs are thought to have come from the small town of Bad Driburg in Germany, where it is believed that the original Frangenberg family originated.
The Frangenberg family has a long history in Germany, dating back to at least the 17th Century. They are thought to have belonged to the affluent and powerful Prussian upper-class. Their rank and income were mostly derived from their land grants and they were closely linked to the castle of Bad Driburg. It is likely that these original Frangenbergs were knights in service of the Prussian military aristocracy.
Today, most Frangenbergs living in Germany are concentrated around the Rhineland area, although a few have moved in recent years to larger cities such as Berlin and Hamburg. In America, the Frangenberg family name is common in Pennsylvania and New York.
Overall, the last name Frangenberg indicates a noble and somewhat mysterious family heritage, rich in history. It reflects their origins in the stormy mountain and their proud status within the aristocratic Prussian circle.
Order DNA origin analysisFrangenberg: Where does the name Frangenberg come from?
The last name Frangenberg is most commonly found today in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. In Germany, Frangenberg is a fairly common last name, moreso in the rural parts of North Rhine-Westphalia and in the surrounding areas such as Lower Saxony and Hesse. Records suggest that the earliest documented Frangenberg family was located in the Rhineland Palatinate in the 17th century, and many families were known to have spread from there into the aforementioned provinces.
Also in the Netherlands, one can find the surname Frangenberg in the province of Noord-Brabant, which borders Germany. It is believed that many of the Frangenbergs in the Netherlands are descendants of Dutch and German immigrants, who settled in the area in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Finally, in the United States, Frangenberg families are most concentrated in the Midwest and East Coast regions. The earliest documented Frangenberg immigrants are believed to have arrived in the mid-19th century, mainly from the aforementioned areas in Germany and the Netherlands. Cities like St. Louis, Cincinnati, and New York are known to have large Frangenberg populations.
Today, the surname Frangenberg is still relatively widespread, indicating that its cultural and ethnic origins are shared across the globe.
Variations of the surname Frangenberg
The name Frangenberg is a surname with German origins. It is thought to have been derived from a place-name in Old High German, 'Frantinberg' or 'Frantenberg', meaning a mountain or settlement associated with a man called 'Frantin'. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin as Frangenberg include Franckenberg, Franckenberger, Franckenbruch, Frangenberger, Franke, Francke, Frankel, Frankeberg, Franckenberg, Francenberg, Frankenberger, Franckenburgh, Franckingen, Francken, Franckenburg, Franckburgh, Franckenborn, Franck, Frankebürger, Frangenburger, Frankeburger, Francoenberg, Frankebeger and Fransenburgh.
As a result of scribal errors, family emigration and post-emigration adaptation of the name to suit the local language, spellings of the surname have changed over time. These spellings could be mostly found in areas of Germany, France, England, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, Holland and the United States. Immigrants to the US mainly settled in Pennsylvania, New York and surrounding states.
In addition, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have adopted an even more simplified version of the surname - Frangi - as a way to identify westerners within their ranks.
The Frangenberg surname has a long history, with records dating back to 1254, when a Frangenberg was mentioned in the historical records of the Holy Roman Empire. The name was used to distinguish people from different areas within Germany, as well as between those of different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Famous people with the name Frangenberg
- Johannes Bernhard Frangenberg (17th Century German Lutheran theologian)
- Fritz Frangenberg (19th Century German horse-racing jockey)
- Hans Frangenberg (20th Century Nazi SS member)
- Karl Frangenberg (20th Century opthalmologist from East Germany)
- Peter Frangenberg (20th Century German perennial German Chess Master)
- Georg Frangenberg (20th Century German politician)
- Paul Frangenberg (20th Century German classical pianist and accompanist)
- Gabriele Frangenberg (21st Century German actress)
- Thomas Frangenberg (21st Century German writer)
- Matthias Frangenberg (21st Century German actor and screenwriter)