Surname Pertgen - Meaning and Origin
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Pertgen: What does the surname Pertgen mean?
Pertgen is an English-language surname derived from an Old German given name. The elements of the name are composed of the elements ‘pert’ meaning ‘bright’ and ‘gen’ meaning ‘kin’. The combination of these elements into the single given name ‘Pertgen’ literally translates to ‘bright kin’.
The surname Pertgen is not exceptionally common in English-speaking countries, but it is popular in Germany, where the given name Pertgen is still used. There are thousands of bearers of the name ‘Pertgen’ or its variations living in Germany today.
The earliest known ancestor of the surname Pertgen is Gottfried Pertgen, born in 1114 in what is now Germany. Throughout the intervening centuries, the modern-day descendants of Gottfried Pertgen have migrated to many parts of the world, and continue to live in countries such as the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and South America.
The surname Pertgen is often related to people of noble descent. In later generations the family adopted the additional surname ‘von Pertgen’, indicating that they were likely descended from German nobility.
Overall, the surname Pertgen is suggestive of a bright, noble heritage. The Old German name ‘Pertgen’ translates to ‘bright kin’, and the modern-day descendants of Gottfried Pertgen have been scattered throughout the world. The addition of the prefix ‘von’ to the name suggests a likely connection to German nobility, making the Pertgen surname even more prestigious.
Order DNA origin analysisPertgen: Where does the name Pertgen come from?
The last name Pertgen can be found across many countries in the world today, primarily located in Europe. It is a common German surname, and can also be seen in Czechia, Netherlands, and Poland. In Germany, it is most commonly found in the regions of Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony, which are located in the western and eastern parts of the country.
Pertgen can also be found in the United States. The earliest records of Pertgen in the US are from the mid-1800s, when many German immigrants began to settle in places like Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania. Since then, the name can be seen primarily in the upper Midwest and Eastern states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Great Britain also reports Pertgen as a common surname. It primarily appears in the Welsh region, where its people trace their earliest origins back to the time of the Normans. Additionally, Pertgen can be seen in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with a large number being found in the capital city of Dublin.
In other parts of Europe, Pertgen is a rarer surname. However, it can still be found in countries such as Hungary, Finland, Norway, and Denmark. It is probable that the name was taken up in these countries by German settlers, with some examples of Pertgen reportedly found in Luxembourg and Belgium.
Variations of the surname Pertgen
The surname Pertgen is derived from the Old High German name Pertgin, meaning "fierce man." Variants of the name include Pertgen, Partgen, Parthern, Perthen, Parten, Partin, Parthen, Partenheim, Pertenheim, Partenheimer, Pertenheimer, and Partenheimer.
Although Pertgen is a common surname in Germany, its frequency elsewhere remains rare. In the United States, Pertgen is found mainly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio.
Pertgen is often spelled in conjunction with other suffixes, such as -er, -man, -mann, -mor, -ner, and -neri. These suffixes can change the meaning of the surname, such as Pertener, meaning son of Perten, and Pertgerman, meaning Pertgen's man.
Double-barrelled surnames are also frequently used with Pertgen, such as Prenger-Partgen, which combines the surnames Prenger and Partgen.
The Dutch equivalent of Pertgen is Parten. In Switzerland, the variant Perthen is more common than Partgen.
In countries such as Austria, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Ukraine, the name is rendered as Partin. In Luxembourg, the name is Parthen, while in Hungary it is Partenheimer.
In the Czech Republic, the name is usually spelled as Partenheim, while in Germany the spelling is Pertenheim.
The name Partenheimer is also used in France. In Italy, the surname is spelled Pertenheimer, while in Spain, Partenheimer is the more common variant.
Overall, the range of variants and spellings for Pertgen indicates its popularity and spread throughout Europe.
Famous people with the name Pertgen
- Karl Pertgen: German Wehrmacht General during World War II
- Elisabeth Pertgen-Decker: German writer and translator
- Hans-Rudolf Pertgen: German aviator and aerial photographer
- William F. Pertgen: American professor of economics and business, a major publisher of economic books and articles
- Adolph Pertgen: German-American civil engineer
- Karl J. Pertgen: German-American mathematician and physicist
- Willy Pertgen: German actor and director
- Robert Pertgen: German painter
- Karl B. Pertgen: German zoologist
- Erwin Pertgen: German actor, screenwriter, and director