Surname Nöthen - Meaning and Origin
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Nöthen: What does the surname Nöthen mean?
The last name Nöthen is of Germanic origin and is derived from the Old German word "not" meaning "hero". Nöthen first appears in German records as early as the 13th century in locations such as Hanover, Lippe, and Westphalia. Initially, Nöthen was used as a patronymic name to identify the son of a hero.
Over time, the meaning of the name has changed and as its popularity has grown it has become a surname and is now recognized throughout Germany. It is mainly concentrated in the northwestern part of Germany, in regions such as Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein.
The main characteristic of the name Nöthen is the addition of the umlaut “ö”, which changes the pronunciation from “Noth” to Nöth-en. This is not a common practice in German and serves to further distinguish this last name from other similar ones.
The meaning of Nöthen reflects the strength, bravery, and courage of its original bearer, and no doubt has been passed down through the generations. Furthermore, its continued use and relevance today demonstrates how this last name has endured in German history and culture.
Order DNA origin analysisNöthen: Where does the name Nöthen come from?
The last name Nöthen is most commonly found in Germany. The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has the highest concentration of Nöthen citizens, with approximately 11,000 individuals bearing the name in the region. Several other German states such as Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, and Hamburg also account for a fair share of individuals with the surname.
Nöthen is among the top 2 percent of all surnames in Germany with some of the most common variants being Nothnagel, Nothen, and Nothe. It is speculated that the German last name is derived from either the ancient German word ‘Notel’ meaning dejected one or ‘Not’ indicating boldness and strength.
Outside of Germany, the surname Nöthen can also be found in Aus-tria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and in other European countries to a lesser extent. Furthermore, the name has crossed over to the United States of America, with some individuals of German heritage bearing the last name.
Altogether, the last name Nöthen is relatively uncommon. However, individuals bearing the last name can be found today in many German-speaking countries and in areas where Germans have migrated to in the past.
Variations of the surname Nöthen
The surname Nöthen is of German origin and has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The variants of the Nöthen name include Nothnagel, Nothen, Noten, Nothenagle, Nothnagle, Nothnagel, Nothnegel, Nothenagel, Nothanggel, Nothangl, Nothangs, Notholph, Nothoehn, and Nothowe.
The most common spelling of Nöthen is Nothnagel. This spelling is purely German, but many Americanized forms have been derived from it over time. People bearing this name may also spell it as Nothnagle, Nothen, Nothenagle, Noten, Nothenagel, Nothnegel, Nothanggel, Nothangl, Nothangs, Notholph, Nothoehn, or Nothowe.
Nothnagel is an occupational name derived from the Middle German word "nothengen," meaning a nail maker or one who works with nails. This suggests that the original bearer of this surname was likely a nail maker.
The various forms of this surname are seen all across Europe. In the United States, Nöthen is most commonly seen in the east, particularly in Pennsylvania and the Midwest states.
Overall, the surname Nöthen is used by people of German descent and can be found in various forms across Europe and in the United States.
Famous people with the name Nöthen
- Marie-Luise Nöthen: German actress best known for her roles in the films Christiane F. (1981) and Die Geliebten Schwestern (2014).
- Manuel Nöthen: German classical tenor.
- Barbie Nöthen: German television personality.
- Herbert Nöthen: German politician and former Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
- Gerd Nöthen: German diplomat and former interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Klaus Nöthen: German composer of electronic and classical music.
- Gert Nöthen: German physicist and professor at the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Ruhr-University Bochum.
- Hermann Nöthen: German industrialist and member of the family that founded the MAN AG company.
- Ingrid Nöthen: German singer and member of the band Fools Garden.
- Gunhild Nöthen-Seemann: German soprano singer.
- Jette Nöthen-Klein: German television host and actress.
- Robert Nöthen: German professor of modern German literature and head of the department of German studies at Harvard University.
- Walther Nöthen: German historian and former president of the Westfälische-Wilhelms-University in Münster.
- Brigitte Nöthen: German journalist and author.
- Gerhard Nöthen: German astrophysicist and associate professor for physics at Hamburg University.