Surname Von - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Von: What does the surname Von mean?
The prefix "von" in a last name is of German origin and it means "of" or "from". Historically, it was used to indicate nobility or aristocracy, showing that a person or family belonged to a certain level of the social hierarchy or came from a notable place. However, over time, it began to be used more widely and its meaning evolved. In contemporary usage, "von" may simply mean that a person's ancestors were from a certain location, though in some cases it may still carry an association with nobility or aristocracy. It should be noted that in Germany today, legal usage of noble titles in names has been abolished, and "von" is now considered part of the last name, without conveying any status. In Austria, however, it is illegal to use the "von" title if it wasn't officially granted.
Order DNA origin analysisVon: Where does the name Von come from?
The last name Von is most commonly found in German and Eastern European countries such as Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. In the United States, Von is a relatively uncommon name, as the spelling is usually abbreviated to “Vonn” or “Vonn” in English-speaking countries. The name Von is derived from the German preposition "von," meaning "of" or "from," and usually signifies a noble or royal origin.
The name is typically associated with the former German royal family of Prussia, the House of Hohenzollern. However, many other families in Germany, Austria, and surrounding countries have adopted the name Von. Over time, many of these families have immigrated to other countries, including the United States, but the name Von is still most often associated with heritage from the German-speaking region.
The Von name also has some connection to Judaism, since some of the German families that adopted the name were of Jewish origin. The name was used by some Jewish families to distance themselves from their heritage, in an attempt to hide their Jewish identity from German authorities during the Nazi era.
In conclusion, the name Von is most commonly associated with families from German and Eastern European countries. It can also be found in countries around the world, as immigrants brought the name to other countries. The name typically denotes a noble or royal origin, but it also has some connection to Judaism, depending on family heritage.
Variations of the surname Von
The German surname Von is used to denote a person of noble birth and can trace its origins to medieval times. It is often found as part of a compound surname, for example, Von Albrecht, Von Der Ahe, or Von Liebig. Common spellings of the name range from Von, Vom, Vom or, in some regions, Vun.
Variants of this family name are also quite common. In some cases, the name is written with a capital ‘v’ followed by a lowercase ‘on’, such as V’On, Vón, or V’on. In some parts of Europe, a double-barred ‘on’ is used, such as Vöhn, Vöhnen, Vohen or Vohent. In other places, the 'on' is sometimes replaced with an 'en', which can give the name the appearance of Vöen, Voenn, Voennen or Veenen.
In addition to these variants, there are several closely related surnames, some of which have the same origin and meaning as Von. Names such as Voll, Fon, Fonn, Foen, Foenen, and Fohne are all relatives of the Von surname.
Finally, a surname that can also be derived from the Von family name is Van, which is more commonly found in regions such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germanic-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Von
- Baroness Von Sketch (comic actress)
- Elisabeth Von Trapp (musician and author)
- Baron Von Richthofen (World War I fighter pilot)
- Von Miller (American football player)
- Freya Von Moltke (anti-Nazi resistance activist)
- Johann Gottfried Von Herder (philosopher)
- Frei Otto Von Gottfried Baumeister (architect)
- Otto Von Bismarck (German statesman)
- Von certainly (hip hop producer)
- Jessica Von Bibra (Australian model and TV presenter)
- Oswald Von Wolkenstein (composer)
- Baron Von Steuben ( Revolutionary War general)
- Hans Von Ahn (inventor of Captcha technology)
- Freiherr Von Richthofen (cousin of Manfred Von Richthofen, the Red Baron)
- Freifrau Von Benz (UK-based trainer and consultant)
- Robert Von Ranke Graves (British poet and novelist)
- Axel Von Fersen (Swedish aristocrat)
- Minnijean Von Brown Trickey (Teenager participant in 1958 Little Rock school desegregation)
- Robert Von Neumann (mathematician and physicist)
- Freifrau Von Ankershausen (German politician)