German Last Names: A Comprehensive Guide

Looking for information about German last names? This comprehensive list provides a wealth of knowledge about the origins and meanings of common German surnames. Whether you're researching your family history or simply curious about the fascinating world of German names, this guide has something for you. Explore the diverse range of last names, uncovering their unique stories and the rich cultural heritage they represent.
1. **Ackermann:** From the Old High German words "acker" (field) and "mann" (man), meaning "field worker" or "farmer."
2. **Albrecht:** A combination of the Old High German words "adal" (noble) and "beraht" (bright), meaning "noble and bright."
3. **Bauer:** Derived from the Old High German word "bouer" (farmer), meaning "farmer" or "peasant."
4. **Beck:** From the Middle High German word "becke" (baker), meaning "baker."
5. **Becker:** Another variation of "Beck," meaning "baker."
6. **Beil:** From the Old High German word "beil" (axe), meaning "axe maker" or "woodsman."
7. **Berger:** Derived from the Old High German word "berg" (mountain), meaning "mountain dweller."
8. **Binder:** From the Middle High German word "binden" (to bind), meaning "binder" or "bookbinder."
9. **Bischoff:** Derived from the Old High German word "biscof" (bishop), meaning "bishop."
10. **Bock:** From the Old High German word "bock" (goat), meaning "goat herder" or "goatherd."
11. **Boehm:** Derived from the Old High German word "boum" (tree), meaning "tree planter" or "woodcutter."
12. **Braun:** From the Old High German word "brūn" (brown), meaning "someone with brown hair or skin."
13. **Breuer:** Derived from the Middle High German word "brūwer" (brewer), meaning "brewer."
14. **Brunner:** From the Old High German word "brunne" (spring), meaning "someone who lives near a spring."
15. **Busch:** Derived from the Old High German word "busch" (bush), meaning "someone who lives near a bush."
16. **Fischer:** From the Old High German word "fisc" (fish), meaning "fisherman."
17. **Fleischer:** Derived from the Middle High German word "flescher" (butcher), meaning "butcher."
18. **Franz:** German form of the French name "Francis," meaning "free man" or "Frenchman."
19. **Friedrich:** Derived from the Old High German words "fridu" (peace) and "rihhi" (ruler), meaning "peaceful ruler."
20. **Gaertner:** From the Old High German word "gārten" (garden), meaning "gardener."
21. **Geiger:** Derived from the Old High German word "geige" (violin), meaning "violinist."
22. **Glaser:** From the Old High German word "glas" (glass), meaning "glassmaker."
23. **Goldschmidt:** A combination of the Old High German words "gold" (gold) and "schmidt" (smith), meaning "goldsmith."
24. **Graf:** Derived from the Old High German word "graf" (count), meaning "count."
25. **Grimm:** From the Old High German word "grim" (fierce), meaning "fierce" or "strong."
26. **Gross:** Derived from the Old High German word "gross" (large), meaning "big" or "tall."
27. **Haas:** From the Old High German word "has" (hare), meaning "hare catcher" or "hunter."
28. **Hahn:** Derived from the Old High German word "hahn" (rooster), meaning "rooster breeder" or "cock."
29. **Hartmann:** A combination of the Old High German words "hart" (hard) and "mann" (man), meaning "strong man."
30. **Heinrich:** Derived from the Old High German words "heim" (home) and "rihhi" (ruler), meaning "home ruler."
31. **Hermann:** A combination of the Old High German words "heri" (army) and "mann" (man), meaning "army man."
32. **Hofer:** From the Old High German word "hof" (farm), meaning "farmer."
33. **Hoffmann:** A combination of the Old High German words "hof" (farm) and "mann" (man), meaning "farm worker."
34. **Holzer:** Derived from the Old High German word "holz" (wood), meaning "woodcutter" or "woodworker."
35. **Horner:** From the Old High German word "horn" (horn), meaning "someone who works with horns."
36. **Huebner:** Derived from the Old High German word "hübner" (farmer), meaning "farmer."
37. **Jager:** From the Old High German word "jag" (hunt), meaning "hunter."
38. **Jansen:** Derived from the Dutch word "Jan" (John), meaning "God is gracious."
39. **Jung:** From the Old High German word "jung" (young), meaning "young person."
40. **Kaiser:** Derived from the Old High German word "kaiser" (emperor), meaning "emperor."
41. **Keller:** From the Old High German word "keller" (cellar), meaning "someone who works in a cellar."
42. **Koch:** Derived from the Old High German word "koch" (cook), meaning "cook."
43. **Koenig:** Derived from the Old High German word "kōnig" (king), meaning "king."
44. **Kramer:** From the Old High German word "krämer" (merchant), meaning "merchant."
45. **Kuhn:** Derived from the Old High German word "kuhn" (brave), meaning "brave" or "bold."
46. **Lang:** From the Old High German word "lang" (long), meaning "someone who is tall."
47. **Lehmann:** Derived from the Old High German word "lehn" (fief), meaning "someone who holds a fief."
48. **Leipold:** A combination of the Old High German words "leip" (dear) and "wald" (forest), meaning "dear forest."
49. **Lorenz:** German form of the Latin name "Laurentius," meaning "from Laurentum."
50. **Ludwig:** Derived from the Old High German words "hlud" (famous) and "wig" (war), meaning "famous warrior."
51. **Luedtke:** Derived from the Old High German word "lüt" (people), meaning "someone from the people."
52. **Maier:** From the Old High German word "mair" (mayor), meaning "mayor" or "administrator."
53. **Mann:** From the Old High German word "mann" (man), meaning "man."
54. **Meyer:** Derived from the Old High German word "meier" (administrator), meaning "administrator" or "steward."
55. **Miller:** From the Old High German word "mūlin" (mill), meaning "miller."
56. **Mueller:** Another variation of "Miller," meaning "miller."
57. **Neumann:** Derived from the Old High German word "niuman" (new man), meaning "new man."
58. **Nickel:** From the Old High German word "nikel" (devil), meaning "someone who is mischievous."
59. **Oertel:** Derived from the Old High German word "ort" (place), meaning "someone from a specific place."
60. **Pfeiffer:** From the Old High German word "pfeifer" (piper), meaning "piper" or "musician."
61. **Pfaff:** Derived from the Old High German word "pfaffe" (priest), meaning "priest."
62. **Pohl:** From the Old High German word "pol" (pole), meaning "someone who lives near a pole."
63. **Rauch:** Derived from the Old High German word "rōch" (smoke), meaning "someone who lives near smoke."
64. **Reuter:** From the Old High German word "rūt" (rudder), meaning "someone who steers a boat."
65. **Richter:** Derived from the Old High German word "rihhi" (judge), meaning "judge."
66. **Ritter:** From the Old High German word "rītar" (rider), meaning "knight" or "horseman."
67. **Roemer:** Derived from the Old High German word "rōm" (Rome), meaning "someone from Rome."
68. **Roth:** From the Old High German word "rōt" (red), meaning "someone with red hair or skin."
69. **Schmidt:** Derived from the Old High German word "schmidt" (smith), meaning "blacksmith."
70. **Schneider:** From the Old High German word "snīdan" (to cut), meaning "tailor."
71. **Schroeder:** Derived from the Old High German word "schrōder" (tailor), meaning "tailor."
72. **Schulz:** From the Old High German word "schul" (school), meaning "someone who works at a school."
73. **Schuster:** Derived from the Old High German word "schuster" (shoemaker), meaning "shoemaker."
74. **Schwarz:** From the Old High German word "swartz" (black), meaning "someone with black hair or skin."
75. **Seidel:** Derived from the Old High German word "seidel" (cup), meaning "someone who makes cups."
76. **Seitz:** Derived from the Old High German word "sitz" (seat), meaning "someone who has a seat."
77. **Siebert:** Derived from the Old High German word "sīber" (pure), meaning "someone who is pure."
78. **Simon:** German form of the Hebrew name "Shimon," meaning "hearing" or "he has heard."
79. **Sommer:** From the Old High German word "sumer" (summer), meaning "someone who lives in the summer."
80. **Steiner:** Derived from the Old High German word "stein" (stone), meaning "someone who lives near a stone."
81. **Steinhauer:** From the Old High German words "stein" (stone) and "hauer" (cutter), meaning "stone cutter."
82. **Strauss:** Derived from the Old High German word "strōs" (ostrich), meaning "someone who hunts ostriches."
83. **Schaefer:** Derived from the Old High German word "schaf" (sheep), meaning "shepherd."
84. **Schmitt:** Another variation of "Schmidt," meaning "blacksmith."
85. **Schuler:** Derived from the Old High German word "schul" (school), meaning "someone who works at a school."
86. **Weber:** From the Old High German word "weber" (weaver), meaning "weaver."
87. **Werner:** A combination of the Old High German words "wer" (man) and "heri" (army), meaning "army man."
88. **Wilhelm:** Derived from the Old High German words "wil" (will) and "helm" (helmet), meaning "protective will."
89. **Wolf:** From the Old High German word "wolf" (wolf), meaning "wolf hunter" or "someone who lives near wolves."
90. **Zimmermann:** From the Old High German words "zimmer" (room) and "mann" (man), meaning "carpenter."
91. **Zorn:** Derived from the Old High German word "zorn" (anger), meaning "someone who is angry."
92. **Zoller:** From the Old High German word "zol" (toll), meaning "someone who collects tolls."