Surname Loebner - Meaning and Origin
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Loebner: What does the surname Loebner mean?
The surname Loebner is an Ashkenazic Jewish last name, derived from the German word "loebe", which translates to "lion". Historically, the name is likely a reference to one who was courageous and powerful, traits associated with the animal. In Jewish tradition, the lion is also a symbol of strength and leadership.
The surname Loebner is mostly found in Germany and Central Europe, and is one of the many variants of the name Lev. It is also common among Ashkenazic Jews who immigrated to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Today, the name Loebner is shared by individuals who come from a diverse range of backgrounds. Regardless of its origin, individuals with this surname often take pride in its connotations of strength and courage. The name continues to remain popular in some communities to this day.
Order DNA origin analysisLoebner: Where does the name Loebner come from?
The surname Loebner is of German origin and is most commonly found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland today. It is less commonly found in the United States and Canada, but there are pockets of people who bear the name, such as in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas. The Loebner surname is particularly common in Jewish families as it originates from the Hebrew “Lebovitz” meaning close to the heart. It can be spelled in many different ways, including but not limited to "Lewbner" and "Laubner".
Over the past few centuries, the Loebner surname has spread to many other parts of the world including South America, Australasia, and South Africa. In South Africa, the Loebner name is most commonly found among Afrikaans-speaking people, and in the early 20th century many families emigrated from Europe and settled in South Africa and Australia.
The Loebner name is also quite common in Israel as it is a relatively common German-Jewish surname. In recent years, many descendants of the Loebner families have moved to New York, Los Angeles, and other major US cities.
The Loebner name is quite unique, but its meaning of “close to the heart” is widely desired. Many families continue to carry on the family name, and still reside in the countries where they originally settled.
Variations of the surname Loebner
The surname Loebner is a German and Jewish surname and its variants can be generally divided into two categories, namely German and Jewish variants.
The most commonly used German variant is Löbner, which uses a special character called an umlaut, consisting of two dots over the letter "O" to signify a change in pronunciation. Therefore, the vowel sound of "ö" is pronounced differently compared to the standard "o" and the surname becomes "Layb-ner".
The Jewish variants are usually rendered as Lewbner or Loebner depending on the translator. Lewbner was likely the original Sephardic spelling whereas Loebner is the more commonly accepted Ashkenazi spelling.
The surname Loebner is also known to appear as Laupe, Leibner, Leipner, Lemberger, Lender, and Lipton.
Other, obscure variants of the surname Loebner that have been identified are Lootz, Löbtz, Leibman, Leibmann und Loebchen.
Overall, the surname Loebner has a rich and varied history with many different spellings and surnames of the same origin, ranging from German variants such as Löbner to Jewish variants such as Lewbner and Loebner.
Famous people with the name Loebner
- Dr. Hugh Loebner: Computer scientist and philosopher who initiated the Loebner Prize, an annual competition of artificial intelligence programs that aims at creating a computer that can pass the Turing test.
- Jonathan Loebner: Science fiction author who is the son of Hugh Loebner and creator of the Tenacious Productivity Company.
- Adolf Loebner: German icon and portrait painter of the 19th century.
- Nikolaus Loebner: Medieval bishop of Ratisbon and diplomat of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Karl Loebner: German banker who served as the Chairman of the Zurich Union Bank, a prominent Swiss banking corporation.
- Denise Loebner: A strong advocate of women’s rights in the United States and co-founder of the women’s rights organization NOW.
- Marlene Loebner: German author and translator who has written biographies, novels, and other works about the people of Berlin.
- Adolf Loebner: German architectural sculptor who worked on projects in Munich and Berlin.
- Simon Loebner: Jewish banker who was instrumental in early 20th century German industrialization and played a leading role in the German-Jewish business and intellectual Kulturkompromiss.
- Raul Loebner: Argentinian philosopher and author who has written extensively on analytic and continental philosophy.