Surname Sternberg - Meaning and Origin

Tracing Footprints Across Centuries: The Sternberg Surname Unravelled Through My iGENEA DNA Test

In an exploration of personal history and genealogy, my iGENEA DNA test results uncovered the rich, layered heritage tied to my surname, Sternberg. This journey took me deep into the roots of German ancestry, navigating the Straits of the Middle Ages, crossing new frontiers in the Americas, and even tapping into the veins of ancient Celtic lineage.

O. Sternberg

Sternberg: What does the surname Sternberg mean?

Sternberg is a German-Jewish surname that originates from the combined German words "Stern" meaning "Star" and "Berg" meaning "Mountain". Therefore, the last name Sternberg can essentially be translated to "Star Mountain". This name, like many other surnames, was likely topographical, referring to people who historically resided near or on a mountain under the stars or simply "mountain with a stellar view". The surname Sternberg is also linked to various places in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. Variations of this surname include Sternberger, von Sternberg, among others. Despite its European origins, Sternberg is now used by families worldwide due to the migration and movements of Jewish populations over centuries. Its bearers include individuals of note in fields such as filmmaking, entomology, and mathematics, among others.

Sternberg: Where does the name Sternberg come from?

The last name Sternberg is most commonly found in Germany and the United States, although there are a few people with the name in other parts of the world. In the United States, the last name is most commonly found in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, though it can be found in nearly every state.

In Germany, the last name is found in both East and West Germany, although the greatest concentration of Sternbergs is in Bavaria. The origin of this last name is typically Jewish, as many Jews adopted the name upon leaving Germany in the 1800s, although there are also some non-Jewish Sternbergs in the region.

Sternbergs can also be found in other parts of Europe, notably in Sweden and the Czech Republic. In Sweden, approximately 870 people bear the surname, and in the Czech Republic, 805 people have it.

The last name might also be found in the UK. According to ancestry.com, there were 42 people in the UK with the last name as of 2018. This number is likely much higher today, as it includes only those with publicly available records.

Additionally, there are also a few people with the last name Sternberg living in other parts of the world, including in Canada, Israel, Australia, and Mexico.

Overall, the last name Sternberg is found in a variety of countries and regions, although it is most widely found in Germany and the United States.

Variations of the surname Sternberg

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Sternberg are quite numerous. It is a German name that dates back to the Middle Ages and can be derived from various locations in Berlin, such as the city of Sternberg and the nearby towns of Sperenberg and Sternberger. Other variants of Sternberg include Shternberg, Steinerberg, Sternberger, Sturnberger, Sternbergers, and Sternbergs.

Other spellings of Sternberg include Sternberry, Sternsberg, Shternberge, Sternberge, Shetrnberger, Sternbergen, Starnberger, Shternberger, and Sturnbergen.

These surnames can also be found in other countries such as Austria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, and Romania. For example, variants include Shternberg in Austria, Szternberg in Hungary, and Szternberger in Poland.

The surnames are mostly derived from the German words "stern," which means star, and "berg," which means hill or mountain. This is because the original inhabitants of Sternberg and the surrounding area were considered to be descendants of the ancient star-clan.

In addition, there are several other variants and spellings of Sternbergs that have evolved over the centuries. In some cases, the name has been changed or mispronounced, resulting in new surnames such as Stormberg and Starneberg.

Other spellings of this surname include Sterns, Sternenz, Sternborg, Sternenburg, Sternschiller, Sternstorp, Sternborgh, Stornberg, and Sturberg.

Overall, the surname Sternberg is quite varied and numerous variants and spellings still exist in different regions and languages around the world.

Famous people with the name Sternberg

• Steve Sternberg: American television writer and producer best known for his work as a showrunner for multiple critically acclaimed television shows such as Mad Men, Ray Donovan, and Nip/Tuck.
• Walter Sternberg: Austrian-German neurologist best known for research on the structure and function of the human nervous system.
• Max Sternberg: British-German biologist and doctor, best known for his work in bioenergetics and developing theories on cell energy conversion.
• Paul Sternberg, Jr.: American physician and professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, best known for his research on and treatment of diseases of the liver and pancreas.
• Joanna Sternberg: American musician and songwriter, best known for her critically acclaimed album Then I Try Some More and the lead single from it, “Romantic Notion”.
• Horst Sternberg: German film director and screenwriter, best known for directing and/or writing classics such as Grand Illusion Reloaded and Shock and Awe.
• Harry Sternberg: American artist and printmaker most noted for abstract expressionistic art, lithographs, etchings, book illustrations and various other mediums.
• Michael Sternberg: German physicist and mathematician, best known for groundbreaking research on magnetohydrodynamics, which later became an important part of the scientific and engineering foundations of aerodynamic flight.
• Lilli Sternberg: Danish-German physicist and chemist, best known for her work in thermodynamics, catalysis and kinetics.
• Salomon Sternberg: Lithuanian-Polish rabbi and Talmudic scholar, known for his expertise and publications in the Chofetz Chaim commentary.

Other surnames

SternbergerSternbergs