Surname Quednau - Meaning and Origin

Quednau: What does the surname Quednau mean?

The last name Quednau is an Americanized spelling of the German surname Quandt. Quandt is a patronymic surname derived from the given name "Quent" or "Quandt". Quent and Quandt were rare first names, usually given only in regions of Germany. This name is derived from the Old High German words meaning “bold, energetic.”

The Quandt family first arrived in the United States in the mid-1700s, settling in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. From there, many members of the family migrated west to Wisconsin and other Midwestern states during the great immigration period beginnings in the 1800s.

The spelling of the surname was often changed to match the pronunciation in the areas of settlement. This is how the spelling of Quednau came to be. Those bearing this last name come to be found throughout the United States, and around the world.

The Quandts and Quednaus have contributed to the United States' development since colonial days. Many notable Quandts have had roles in American politics, business and industry, science, religion, and other fields.

Overall, the last name Quednau is a testament to the hard work and resilience of the Quandt family, and their part in the history and development of the United States.

Quednau: Where does the name Quednau come from?

The last name Quednau is most commonly found today in Germany and other German-speaking countries like Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is also present in the United States, where it arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries with German immigrants.

The Quednau surname can be derived from a number of different sources. It may have originated as a German toponymic name, derived from the place-name of Quednau, located near the town of Freiberg in northern Bavaria, Germany. Alternatively, it could be derived from a personal name, becoming a patronymic surname which denotes "son of Quednau". It is possible that the personal name is derived from the Old Germanic element "qued," which means "mighty".

Though the exact circumstances of its origin are unknown, the Quednau surname is known to have been present in Germany since at least the Middle Ages. It is recorded in the great medieval document known as the Liber Fundationis Episcopatus Vratislaviensis which was compiled in 1313. The document lists Wernher de Quednow, a minister in Prussia, and Johann de Vuednou, a bishop in Prussia.

Today, the Quednau surname is a fairly common one in its region and continues to be passed down from generation to generation. It is now found all over Europe and across the United States.

Variations of the surname Quednau

Quednau is a German surname which is derived from a geographical place or place-name. It goes back to the Middle High German words quedeln ("flattened piece of land") and nouwe ("new") and originally referred to someone who lived on a newly developed piece of land.

There are several variants, alternate spellings, and surnames of the same origin as Quednau. Among the various spelling variations are Quaidnau, Kuednau, Keudnau, Quednow, Kudnow, Kudnaw, Quedenau, Kudenau, and Quidnow. Surnames derived from the same origin include Kaede, Kaedin, Kaeding, Kaidin, Kaeding, Kaedt, Khaitan, and Khaiting.

In some cases, the spelling of Quednau has also been simplified in certain parts of the world. For example, in France, the spelling of the surname has been simplified to "Quay". In the United States, the spelling of the surname has sometimes been changed to "Quin" or "Quinn".

The various variants, spellings, and surnames of Quednau are scattered around the world in places such as Germany, the United States, France, and other parts of Europe. These multiple spellings indicate the widespread presence of the family name in different cultures and geographies.

Famous people with the name Quednau

• Tina Quednau: German journalist and author of “Food-Gone-Wild”
• Christian Quednau: German painter and sculptor
• Julie Quednau: former Miss North Dakota and CEO of Patriotic Promptings Inc.
• Jürgen Quednau: German economist and Professor Emeritus at Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Karsten Quednau: German historian and Professor of Modern History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
• Rosemarie Quednau: German artist and fellow of the Royal Society of Painters in London
• Mathias Quednau: German writer and historian
• Marcel Quednau: German artist and designer
• Chris Quednau: American figure skater
• Tom Quednau: American actor and film producer
• Esther Quednau: German singer
• Jörg Quednau: German author and cultural journalist
• Denis Quednau: German armchair researcher and amateur historian
• Yves Quednau: Swiss poet and writer
• Ruppert Quednau: German psychologist and professor at the University of Munich
• Belinda Quednau: German fashion designer
• Steven Quednau: American civil engineer and inventor
• Fabian Quednau: German contemporary artist
• Alissa Quednau: American entrepreneur and investor
• Alexander Quednau: German sculptor and graphic designer

Other surnames

Quednow