Surname Lanvers - Meaning and Origin
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Lanvers: What does the surname Lanvers mean?
The last name Lanvers is believed to be of Dutch origin. It is derived from the Germanic given name “Lanfranc”, meaning “Land Franke” or “land free man”. This particular surname likely arose among people living in the Friesland and Groningen provinces of the Netherlands. It was likely held by people who had the modern equivalent of a minor landholding, or at least the right to use a certain piece of land.
The name Lanvers is also thought to have originated from the Flemish place name Lanviers. This is comprised of two components; the first part of the name is derived from the Germanic word land, which translates to mean “land”. The second part of the name is derived from the Germanic word franke which translates to mean “free man”. It is possible that families who held this name either owned or held the right to a certain piece of land, or were free men.
Over time, the surname Lanvers has been found throughout Europe. It can be found in England, France, Scotland, and even in parts of Scandinavia. In modern times, the surname Lanvers is still quite popular and can be found in many countries around the world. It can be an identifier of certain occupational and geographical origins, as well as indicative of certain kinds of ancestral heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisLanvers: Where does the name Lanvers come from?
The last name Lanvers is an old German name that can be found primarily in the United States and Germany today. In the US, the name is as common in the northern states as it is in the south, though there are some outlier states like Pennsylvania and Georgia with a higher concentration of individuals with the name. In Germany, where the surname was created, it is still quite common, especially as many immigrants brought the name with them when moving overseas.
Many records from the early colonial period of the US support the idea that Lanvers was a surname of mainly German immigrants who came to the US in search of better economic opportunities, often with very few resources. This is why the name shows up in certain north-eastern states as well as states in the Midwest, like Minnesota and Wisconsin, which were known to have large populations of German-Americans.
Though the name can still be found in certain family lines in Germany, it is considered a rarer surname in comparison to centuries past, due largely to the less conservative naming conventions of the country. Though lanvers is much rarer in Germany today than it used to be, it is still a name that is known and respected by German natives. It is also a surname that is familiar to generations of German-Americans, many of which are passing on its legacy in their respective families, keeping the name alive.
Variations of the surname Lanvers
The surname Lanvers is derived from the name “Lanfear”, which was of Norman origin. It was a nickname for someone from the area known as Lanvair in the Manche region of Normandy, France.
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Lanvers include: Lancers, Lanceurs, Lancer, Lancier, Lanfear, Lanffeir, Lanffer, Lanffiers, Lanffire, Lanfeyer, Lanffyer, Lanfieur, Lanffier, Lanfran, Lanfrey, Lanffrie, Lanphier, Lanvier, Launvier, and Launviers.
In Ireland, branches of the Lanvers family were originally known as O' Lancers and had a rich history of holding powerful positions in the Irish government.
Other variants of the Lanvers surname include: Lanfear, Lanfranc, Lanfrey, Lanfry, Lanfrey, Lanfy, Lanfyr, etc.
In England the surname was found primarily in Somerset and Dorset counties. It is also found in Scotland, particularly along the southwest coast where many Irish immigrants settled in the seventeenth century.
The variants, spellings and surnames for the Lanvers family are numerous and often vary depending on the region they originated from. Regardless of the varied spellings, it is clear that the family roots can be traced back to France and Ireland.
Famous people with the name Lanvers
- Henning Lanvers, German actor and screenwriter
- Mike Lanvers, English footballer
- Hannah Lanvers, American actress
- Tom Lanvers, Dutch composer
- Sally Lanvers, Australian author
- Jimmy Lanvers, Swedish musician
- Kate Lanvers, Brazilian physician
- Bobby Lanvers, Canadian singer-songwriter
- Ken Lanvers, South African athlete
- Frank Lanvers, Irish sculptor