Surname Lenßner - Meaning and Origin
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Lenßner: What does the surname Lenßner mean?
The last name Lenßner is a German surname with an unknown origin, likely derived from a placename or house name. Its earliest record dates back to the 15th century in what is now the eastern part of the state of Thuringia. Over the centuries, numerous variations of the spelling have arisen, including Lenckner, Lensner, Lenzner, and Lençner.
The lenis or lenis dialect was particularly common in Thuringia during the 16th and 17th centuries. This dialect is characterized by the leniting or softening of certain consonants, particularly those at the ends of words, such as “s” becoming “ß” and “t” becoming “d”. As such, Lenßner might indicate that the surname arose from a spelling variant of a lenis dialect and suggests a particular regional origin.
The name is found throughout the world and can be found in German-speaking countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. Today, it is also quite common in the United States of America where its spelling is often slightly altered to Lensner or perhaps Lensner. Although its exact origin is unclear, its presence today demonstrates its longevity and its importance to families around the world, connecting them to the past.
Order DNA origin analysisLenßner: Where does the name Lenßner come from?
The last name Lenßner is a German family name. It most common today can be found in Germany and Poland. According to the German phone book "Das Telefonbuch" there are 1,165 people by this surname living in Germany, and the surname is especially common in central and eastern Germany. There are even villages named after the Lenßner family in the German states of Brandenburg and Saxony.
The surname is much less common in Poland, but according to the Polish phone book "Książka Telefoniczna" it can still be found in the cities of Szczytno, Nysa, and Konin.
On other continents, the last name Lenßner is not as frequent. In Australia there is only one person by this surname according to the Australian phonebook. In North America, the last name can be found in the United States and Canada, but in limited numbers. The United States Census Bureau does not keep records of this particular last name, but their records show that the surname is mainly concentrated in the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Overall, the last name Lenßner is still quite rare outside of its roots in Germany and Poland.
Variations of the surname Lenßner
Lenßner is a mainly German family name that can have a few spellings and variants, as well as related surnames of the same origin.
The most common German spelling is Lenßner, derived from the German word linsen, which means lentils. It is believed to have originated as a nickname for a person who was a lentil gatherer or seller.
The other known German spellings of Lenßner include Lenßen, Lensner, Lensener, Lensner, Linsner, Linsener, and Linsener. It is possible that the surname was either changed over time due to pronunciation difficulties, typos or translation errors. The German umlaut (ä) is also sometimes mistakenly omitted, resulting in the variant Lenßer.
The related surname Lins also has several variants, including Lintz, Linds, Lynds, and Lynd. These are believed to have derived from the German word line, which means an enclosed space or enclosure. As such, they may have been used to denote people from a particular area or landholder.
Out of Germany, this surname is also seen in the spellings Lentsner, Lensner, Linsner and Linsener. This is because in some non-German-speaking countries the ß character is not available, thus it was replaced with an "s" or "ss" in the spelling.
In conclusion, the surname Lenßner may have several spellings and variants, and also related surnames derived from its root words. These are mainly seen in Germany, but can also be found in other non-German-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Lenßner
- Regine Lenßner: U.S. economist mostly known for her 2008 book “The Economics of Global Transformation” and her career as managing director at the World Bank.
- Emil Lenßner: mid-19th century Austrian grammarian and literary historian.
- Henry V. Lenßner: electrical engineer and pioneer of early communication and radiotelegraphy.
- Alwin Lenßner: whom served as Reich minister for post and communications in 1920s Germany.
- J.C.F. Lenßner: 19th century philosopher and theologian.
- Karlheinz Lenßner: German born electrical engineer and entrepreneur, mainly known for his collaboration with George Westinghouse on the development of turbines and hydro power generators in the early 1900s.
- Horst Lenßner: 1980s German TV host and actor.
- Erich Lenßner: a talented field hockey player from the 1950s and 1960s.
- Gerhard Lenßner: German logistics strategist from the 1980s.
- Otto Lenßner: a German general who served during World War II.