Surname Schönduwe - Meaning and Origin
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Schönduwe: What does the surname Schönduwe mean?
The last name Schönduwe is of German descent and is of occupational origin. The name Schönduwe is derived from the German term schöne duve, meaning “beautiful duck.” It is believed that the first person to use the name may have kept ducks or worked with ducks in some capacity.
As its origin suggests, Schönduwe was likely originally a partial nickname. This suggests that, before coming to be used as a last name, the term schöne duve was used to refer to someone or a group of people. This name, used in everyday person-to-person conversations, could then have developed into a full surname.
Since Schönduwe is German, it is possible that the surname first developed within German-speaking areas and spread from there. With the spread of the surname may have come slight variations in spelling, making the name sound more familiar to the different cultures that it encountered.
Though the meaning of Schönduwe has not changed, how it is used has. Once a nickname used amongst friends, the name is now used by countless people worldwide as a last name. Although the origins of the name may have been forgotten by some, it is still a reminder of the unique characteristics that our ancestors and our heritage hold.
Order DNA origin analysisSchönduwe: Where does the name Schönduwe come from?
The last name Schönduwe is most commonly found in Germany and neighboring countries. In Germany, Schönduwe can be found in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) and Bavaria (Bayern), as well as smaller numbers in other German states.
In Switzerland, Schönduwe is found mainly in the canton of St. Gallen. It is also common in Austria, where it is particularly found in the state of Tyrol, as well as in Vorarlberg and farther south in Carinthia.
In other European countries, the last name Schönduwe is less common, but can still be found scattered in small numbers in many western and northern European countries.
The United States and Canada both have large numbers of immigrants who originally had the last name Schönduwe, so it is not uncommon in those countries. It is also found in other countries around the world, most of which are either former colonies of European countries or have attracted European settlers in the last hundred years.
Variations of the surname Schönduwe
Surnames of similar origin to Schönduwe are Schöndewe, Schöndube, Schöndeaue, Schondeuer, and Schöndue. All of these surnames are believed to have their roots in the pre-medieval language of German, specifically in the Old High German word “sunne-duuwe”, which means “swallow of the sun”. It has also been suggested that the name Schönduwe may have been derived from a personal name, such as of ‘Seundewe’, from a time when it was common practice to name people after birds or animals.
Variant forms of the name include Schöndeaue, Schöndeue, and Schönduaue. The spelling variants of the name are Schöndev, Schöndduwe, Schönduwe, Schonduuwe, and Schonduwe.
Surnames which derived from Schönduwe include Schöndube, Schöndewe, Schondever, Schondeuer, Schoenduweb, Schoeneveb, Schoduweb, Schöndouve, Schönduber, Schönduver, Shonduub, Shöndeuve, and Schoendube.
Despite its origins in German, the surname Schönduwe is not particularly widespread. It has been most commonly found in parts of northeastern Germany, especially in the former provinces of Prussia and East Prussia, but has been found in other countries as well, such as Russia, Poland, France, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Schönduwe
- Sven Schönduwe, German footballer
- Steffen Schönduwe, German rower
- Maximilian Schönduwe, German actor
- Hans Schönduwe, German politician
- Johanna Schönduwe, German professor
- Cornelius Schönduwe, German author
- Karl Schönduwe, German composer
- Fritz Schönduwe, German sculptor
- Eva Schönduwe, German writer
- Emily Schönduwe, German artist