Surname Moringen - Meaning and Origin

Moringen: What does the surname Moringen mean?

The last name Moringen is an Ashkenazi Jewish surname derived from the town of Moringen in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is believed to have derived from the Latin phrase “mortis ingens”, meaning “great death”. This ultimately stems from an old German word “mör”, meaning “deadly” or “dead”.

In the Middle Ages, Moringen was a very important part of the region, as it served as the site for blood judgements and served as a refuge for villagers in danger. It was also inhabited by Jewish inhabitants, who may have adopted the name as their surname.

Moringen is one of the many names added to the Yad Vashem list of victims of the Holocaust. During the holocaust, many Jewish individuals who had taken on the Moringen last name were victims of the Nazi-perpetrated genocide, and lost their lives in concentration camps as a result.

In present day, the Moringen surname is still common in Germany, particularly in Lower Saxony. Many people with the Moringen last name also live in the United States, as they have emigrated from Germany in past centuries.

Moringen: Where does the name Moringen come from?

The last name Moringen is most common in Germany today. It is particularly common in the German states of Lower Saxony and Bavaria. The name originates from the city of Moringen, located in Lower Saxony in Germany. It is believed that the name was borne by people of Moringen who left the town during the late 17th or early 18th century, and spread to other German towns.

Moringen is also found in some German-American immigrant families, as well as in other countries in Europe and South America. In particular, Moringen has been found in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Brazil. It is believed that many of the original Moringens in these countries were of German descent, since German immigrants to North and South America were common in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In general, the last name Moringen is found notably among German, Dutch, and French-speaking populations. It is also possible to find Moringen among Jewish immigrant families, as numerous Jews were also German-speaking and were well-established in Germany since the medieval era.

The last name Moringen may also be found in countries like Canada and the United States where German and Dutch immigrants settled. It is a particularly common last name in the United States, with estimates of over 15,000 Americans having the name Moringen. As with many European last names, Moringen's may have been adapted slightly in different countries, with versions such as Morning or Morninger found in some cases.

Variations of the surname Moringen

The surname Moringen (also spelled according to local customs as ‘Möringen’ or ‘Möhringen’) is an old German family name believed to have roots in the area surrounding Möhringen village in the historic region of Württemberg. The name is thought to have originally been derived from the Middle High German word “moringen”, meaning “the rich one” or “the abundant one”, and was likely taken on by the early founders of the family as a surname to designate their standing.

The surnames Möringen, Möhringen, and Moringen remain prominent in many areas around the world today and are often used interchangeably. Common variant spellings of the Moringen surname include Mohringen and Merringen.

There are also a few related surnames of the same origin. One of these is Möhren, which is thought to have derived from the local dialect spelling of Möhringen, whereas another is Möhl, which is derived from the Latin word “molle” referring to millstones.

Interestingly, Moringen is also the name of a commune in the district of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany, thus adding one more surname bearing the same root.

Along the way, the surname Moringen has been adopted by various other families in other places across the world, and can be found in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia.

Famous people with the name Moringen

• Sophie Moringen (German TV actress and yoga instructor)
• Mrs. Emil Moringen (German educationalist in the 19th century)
• Angelina Moringen (German writer in the 18th century)
• Christoph von Moringen (German politician in the 19th century)
• Anton von Moringen (German clergyman and historian in the 18th century)
• Elizabeth Moringen (American Social Activist in the 19th century)
• John D. Moringen (American Author in the 20th century)
• Kenneth Moringen (former mayor of San Francisco)
• Alexis Moringen (20th century German philosopher)
• Anna Moringen (German ballerina in the 19th century)
• Ernst Moringen (German orientalist in the 19th century)
• William Moringen (British banker in the 19th century)
• Baroness Maria Moringen (German courtier in the 16th century)
• Mark Moringen (American Jazz Musician in the 20th century)
• Kathryn Moringen (American Nature Photographer in the 21st century)

Other surnames

MoringMöring