Surname Steinhard - Meaning and Origin
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Steinhard: What does the surname Steinhard mean?
The last name Steinhard is of Germanic origin derived from the Old High German "stain" and "hard" meaning "stone hard". The name was traditionally given to a hard, strong-willed person, or to one who lived on a particularly rocky piece of land. Further variations of the name exist including Steinhard, Stienhardt, Stainhardt, and Stenhart, among others.
The name may represent moral or physical qualities, such as a person of strong will and determination. Alternatively, it can also imply a heritage, such as someone whose ancestors worked with stone, or had the occupation of stonemason or sculpture.
Aside from the literal interpretation of the name Steinhard, it also carries religious meaning, as it is derived from the Latin word "petra" meaning "stone". In religious context, the stone may refer to St. Peter, who was the first of the apostles and also the foundation of the Church. Hence, the name has further spiritual connotations in addition to its literal translation.
Ultimately, the last name Steinhard carries with it a meaning of strength and determination, beyond that of its literal interpretations, whether religious or physical, providing those who hold the surname a sense of heritage, strength, and identity.
Order DNA origin analysisSteinhard: Where does the name Steinhard come from?
The last name Steinhard is most commonly seen in Germany and other countries in the Germanic region, such as Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It is thought to have originated from Germany in the Middle Ages and has become a more widespread surname during the modern period. It is also somewhat popular in the United States, with the 2020 census revealing that there were 1,123 people with the last name Steinhard living in the country.
According to the genealogy website Forebears, the surname has a global population of 13,310, the majority of whom live in Germany. There is a high concentration of the name in the eastern German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt, as well as the western German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria.
Despite being most strongly associated with Germany, the first recorded instance of the name is not German. This occurrence took place in England in 1290, where an individual named Warin Stenehard appears in records of the city of Cambridge. Since then, the name has been adopted by many other countries and regions beyond the Germanic sphere. People bearing the last name Steinhard have been recorded in Russia, Belgium, France, Spain, Canada, and even Australia.
Variations of the surname Steinhard
The surname Steinhard is one of those surnames which has a variety of spellings, as well as a wide variety of variant forms.
One of the most common spellings of this surname is Steinhardt. This name is closely related to the German word Steinhard, which means “stone hard” or “hard as stone”.
The German language has various dialects and variations of words and spellings which brings us to additional variant forms, such as Steinhardts, Steinhardz, Steinhardtz, Steinhedon, Steinhuter, Steinheit, Steinhorst, and Steinhauser.
In some cases, the surname Steinhard has been recorded with spellings such as Sternhardt, Sternhard, and Sternhardz.
Additionally, there are a few variants of this name which have been recorded as Stienhardt, Stienhard, Steinharder, Steinhart, Steinhertz, and Steinheuer.
As with many surnames, this surname also has variants and derivatives in other languages, such as Steinhort in Polish, Steinhorte in Czech, and Steinhardy in Dutch.
An analysis of the surname Steinhard reveals that there are many variations and spellings that can all be attributed to the same origin. However, because of the nearly infinite possibilities of spelling variations, it can be difficult to trace the origins of a particular surname without further research and assistance.
Famous people with the name Steinhard
- Greg Steinhardt: 6-time All-American swimmer
- Max Steinhardt: German entrepreneur and industrialist
- Walter Steinhardt: Austrian Expressionist painter
- Gustav Steinhardt: German art historian
- Ernst Steinhardt: a German actor and director
- Roland Steinhardt: Swiss actor and theatre director
- Sacha Steinhardt: French actor and playwright
- Georg Steinhardt: Austrian writer and poet
- Friedrich Steinhardt: Austrian poet and playwright
- Moses Steinhardt: British playwright, film producer and social commentator