Surname Mänz - Meaning and Origin
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Mänz: What does the surname Mänz mean?
The last name Mänz is of German origin and can be found mainly in the Rhineland region of Germany. It is likely derived from the Middle High German name Man, meaning "man" or "male".
Despite being a relatively common German surname, the precise origin and meaning of Mänz is unclear. In some cases, it may be short for "Mannesmann", which itself is derived from the Middle High German "mannesmann", meaning "man's man" or "man of man".
The earliest known record of the Mänz surname dates back to the 17th century in Neuwied, a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. It is possible that this name was derived from a place name, since the Rhineland area is known for its farmsteads and villages such as Mänze.
The Mänz surname has seen a gradual decline in popularity in Germany since the end of the 19th century, with the number of individuals with this name falling from nearly 13,000 in 1900 to around 5,000 in the late 2000s.
Today, the Mänz name is found in all parts of the world, notably throughout Europe, South America, and North America. Those who bear it are likely to be descended from migrants who left Germany many centuries ago, often to seek a better life in other parts of the world.
Regardless of where they may be now, those who bear the Mänz name should be proud of their heritage and the bravery of their ancestors who left their homes behind to make a new life across the world.
Order DNA origin analysisMänz: Where does the name Mänz come from?
The last name Mänz is most commonly seen in Germany and Austria today, although it is also found in other countries across Europe. It is thought to be of German or Austrian origin and is derived from the Middle High German word for "man" or "person".
You can expect to find the last name Mänz in regions where German-speaking populations have traditionally lived. This includes Germany, Austria, South Tyrol in Northern Italy, Bohemia, and other areas that used to be part of the Austrian Empire.
In Germany, Mänz is seen particularly in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Austria, Mänz is especially concentrated in the provinces of Lower and Upper Austria, Carinthia, and Styria.
The last name is also found in various countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Brazil. This is most likely due to either descendants of those who emigrated from Germany and Austria in search of better economic opportunities, or from modern migration, for example through marriage.
Finally, it is worth noting that variations of the name Mänz may be found in different countries, such as Manzo in Italy or Monce in France.
Variations of the surname Mänz
Mänz is a surname of German and Dutch origin. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Mänz include:
• Maens/Maence – This is the most common Dutch variant of the name, often used in Dutch-speaking parts of the Netherlands.
• Mansel – This is a diminutive of Mann, an old Germanic given name; the surname is common in the Netherlands and Germany.
• Meins – A Dutch variant, also spelled Meinse, Maenze, and Maenz.
• Mans/Mantz – This is another Dutch variant of the name.
• Mänch – A variant found mainly in Germany.
• Mencke – A variant found in parts of Germany.
• Mehnse/Menssen – A Germanized form of Maence, found mainly in Germany.
• Many – Also spelled Manny, this is used mainly in Spanish-speaking regions of the world (it is believed to be derived from the German Maenze).
• Mansch – This is a variant found mainly in Riga, Latvia.
• Maens/Maenze/Maenz/Meins – Variants of the name found mainly in the Netherlands.
• Maenze – A variant found mainly in South Tyrol, Italy.
• Maenze/Menz – Variants of the name found mainly in Austria and Bohemia.
Famous people with the name Mänz
- Gerald Mänz (German Motocross racer)
- Jan Mänz (German actor, director and writer)
- Stefan Mänz (German born film composer for Hollywood films)
- Robert Mänz (German musician)
- Hartmut Mänz (German pathologist)
- Wolfgang Mänz (German handballer)
- Wolfgang Mänz (German acrobatics ski-jumper)
- Horst Mänz (German chess grandmaster)
- Harald Mänz ( German sports official and Secretary General of the German Olympic Committee)
- Wulf Mänz (German experimental filmer and video-artist)
- Olaf Mänz (German athletics coach)
- Oskar Mänz (German musicologist and music theorist)
- Ralf Mänz (German footballer)
- Roswitha Mänz (German sprint canoer)
- Hermann Mänz (German sprinter)
- Christian Mänz (German ice dancer)
- Bart Mänz (German skeleton racer)
- Horst-Alfred Mänz (German author, screenwriter and film producer)
- Michaela Mänz (German Paralympic Paralympic athlete)
- Bernd Mänz (German cabaret artist)