Surname Dörnfeld - Meaning and Origin
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Dörnfeld: What does the surname Dörnfeld mean?
The last name Dörnfeld is a fairly common German-language family name. It can be traced back to the Old German personal name 'Dieter', which developed into the modern German name 'Dieterl'. By adding the suffix '-feld', 'Dieterl' evolved into 'Dörnfeld' meaning 'Dieter's field'. This implies that the original bearer of the name held a piece of land or was somehow associated with a field.
With the introduction of family names in the Middle Ages, many people began to adopt last names that related to their occupation, or were descriptive of their local environment or physical features. This likely explains why the surname Dörnfeld is so widespread through Germany and other countries where German is spoken.
The surname Dörnfeld can be found in records dating back to the 13th century when many early Europeans used surnames to identify themselves more easily. However, this 'fixed' surname system did not become fully popular until the 16th century, and the name Dörnfeld became particularly popular by that time.
Today, Dörnfeld is a well-spread surname throughout several countries around the world. It is most notable for its associations with the German word 'feld' meaning 'field' and is still held proudly by many families who trace back to Germany.
Order DNA origin analysisDörnfeld: Where does the name Dörnfeld come from?
The last name Dörnfeld is most common in Germany and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. A concentration of the name is found in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. In Germany, Dörnfeld is one of the more frequent surnames with an estimated 4,827 people as of 2016. This places it at spot 356 of the most common German surnames.
In Austria, Dörnfeld is a relatively common last name and is made up of 286 people as of 2013. In Switzerland, the last name is not as frequent, with an estimated 7 individuals with the last name living in the country as of 2010. In the Czech Republic, it is one of the more frequent surnames according to the 2011 census, with an estimated 492 people under this name.
The origin of the last name Dörnfeld is typically from a place name in Germany, and translates to mean "field of thorns." The surname is thought to have been derived from a location of the same name, which was likely source of residence for the first family to use the name. Additionally, it can also be associated with the Northern Germanic root word "þur", which can be translated to mean "thorn", as well as the Middle High German word “deren” which translates to mean “swamp, field.” Thus, these meanings contribute to the meaning of Dörnfeld's original interpretation.
Overall, the last name Dörnfeld is most common in Germany and other regions of Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. It is thought to stem from a place name in Germany that translates to mean "field of thorns" and this name is likely associated with the Northern Germanic root word "þur" as well as the Middle High German word “deren.”
Variations of the surname Dörnfeld
The surname Dörnfeld is derived from Low German and is itself a variant of Thürnfeld. It is mainly associated with the region in the north of Germany, as with other similar surnames it is derived from the area.
The variants of this surname include Dornfeld, Dornfried, Dornfeder, Dornfrolich, Dorndorf, Dörnfels, Dörnberger, Thürnfels, Törnfels, and Thürnfell. All of these spellings and variants evolved from the Low German dialect that was used in that area, and likely was the mayor's name of the village the name originates from.
In addition to these variants, there are also several surnames related to Dörnfeld, such as Dörnbach, Dörnberg, Dörndorf, Dörnberger, Thürner, Thürmer, Thürmacher, and Thürmester. While these names may not be exact variations of the Dörnfeld name, they also have origins related to the same region, lending to the overall name cluster of the Low German dialectic surnames.
Overall, the Dörnfeld surname has many different spellings and variants, and many related surnames that are found in the same region of Germany. All of these names likely evolved from Low German sources, which included the original name of the village or town. Although the names have changed somewhat over the centuries, the overall origin of the name remains the same.
Famous people with the name Dörnfeld
- Maximilian Dörnfeld: German footballer who currently plays for FC Augsburg.
- Robert Dörnfeld: German stage actor and playwright.
- Lieselotte Dörnfeld: East German triple jumper and long jumper.
- Paul Dörnfeld: German architect and art historian, professor at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
- Helga Dörnfeld: German actress best known for her role in the television series "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe".
- its Mesut Dörnfeld: Turkey-born German boxer who won the bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
- Alexander Dörnfeld: German entomologist and paleontologist, studied the fauna of the Baltic amber.
- Christian Dörnfeld: German bobsleigher who competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
- Renate Dörnfeld: German sculptor and winner of the 1997 Bilbao Prize.
- Manfred Dörnfeld: German graphic designer and sculptor, known for his design of numerous company logos.