The Top 50 German Surnames

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From Mueller (miller) to Keller (cellar)

This Top 50 list ranks the most common family names in Germany. The list was produced by surveying German surnames found in German telephone books.

We have supplemented that list with the English meaning for each German family name. Please note that the English meaning is a translation of the German name and may or may not be a surname actually used in English-speaking countries. For example, the most common German surname is Müller, which means "miller." Miller is a fairly common name in the English-speaking world, and is also a family name derived from an occupation. However, the German last name Keller means "cellar" or "basement." Neither of those words is used as a family name in English, but Keller belongs to a class of names derived from where someone worked, in this case, perhaps a Rathskeller (a cellar pub or restaurant) or a Weinkeller (wine cellar). The German surname is also a fairly common family name in the U.S., including the famous Helen Keller (1880-1968, born in Alabama). The German word Kellner (waiter) is also related to Keller. However, the name Keller may have other possible origins. (For more about German last names, see our article on German Surnames.)

Names and their sources are tricky things. This list is not meant as a guide to name origins. It is only intended to be an enjoyable way to discover the possible meanings of various German names. Enjoy!

Most-Common German Last Names

1. Müller (Mueller, Möller) = miller
2. Schmidt (Schmitz, Schmitt, Schmid) = smith
3. Schneider = tailor
4. Fischer = fisher
5. Meyer (Meier, Maier, Mayer) = dairyman
6. Weber = weaver
7. Schulz (Schulze, Scholz) = mayor
8. Wagner = wagoner, wainwright
9. Becker = baker
10. Hoffmann (Hofmann) = landed farmer
11. Schäfer (Schaefer) = shepherd
12. Koch = cook
13. Bauer = farmer, peasant
14. Schröder (Schroeder) = carter
15. Klein = small, little
16. Richter = judge
17. Wolf = wolf
18. Neumann = new man
19. Schwarz = black
20. Schmitz (Schmidt) = smith
21. Krüger (Krueger) = potter
22. Braun = brown
23. Zimmermann = carpenter
24. Schmitt (Schmidt) = smith
25. Lange = long
26. Hartmann = tough/strong man
27. Hofmann (Hoffmann) = landed farmer
28. Krause = curly-haired
29. Werner = meaning uncertain
30. Meier = dairyman
31. Schmid (Schmidt) = smith
32. Schulze (Schulz) = mayor
33. Lehmann = serf
34. Köhler (Koehler) = charcoal-maker
35. Maier (Meyer) = dairyman
36. Herrmann = warrior
37. König (Koenig) = king
38. Mayer (Meyer) = dairyman
39. Walter = army leader; ruler
40. Peters = rock (from Latin/Greek)
41. Möller (Moeller, Müller) = miller
42. Huber = land owner (hoover)
43. Kaiser = emperor
44. Fuchs = fox
45. Scholz (Schulz) = mayor
46. Weiß = white/wheat
47. Lang = long
48. Jung = young
49. Hahn = rooster
50. Keller = cellar, basement (i.e., someone who worked in a wine cellar or Rathskeller)

Source: GfdS - Familiennamen

MORE > German Surname Glossary - German with English
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