Surname von Egidy - Meaning and Origin
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von Egidy: What does the surname von Egidy mean?
The last name von Egidy is of German origin. It's a habitational name taken from several places called Egelse in Argau, Switzerland. The von Egidy family likely originated from this area, it also has been associated with the town of Einsiedeln in Switzerland.
The meaning of the name is generally attributed to the Old German “age” or “edge”, which both have the same etymological root and refer to a small enclosing construction such as a fence, hedge, barricade, or wall. It may have been given by people living near the fences that guard their farms and homesteads.
A famous person with the last name von Egidy is Austrian physicist Wolfgang von Egidy. He was noted for his work in cosmology and astrophysics, and taught courses on general relativity, astrophysics, and observational astronomy. Other notable von Egidys include the Austrian composer and conductor Pavel von Egidy, the Austrian military doctor Hugo von Egidy, and the classical scholar Ioannes von Egidy.
The von Egidy coat of arms typically consists of a black eagle on a yellow background. The eagle on the shield symbolizes protection, strength, and courage, attributes that many of the von Egidys have been known for throughout the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Egidy: Where does the name von Egidy come from?
The last name von Egidy is primarily a German name, and is still very common in Germany and other German-speaking countries today. It is also spread to parts of Europe, especially Eastern Europe, and has been seen in many other parts of the world due to immigration. The name is derived from two separate root words; “ von” meaning “of” in German, and “Egidy” being an old German family name derived from the word “Aegidius” meaning “shield of goatskin”.
The specific origin of the von Egidy family is said to be in the area of Silesia, and dates back as far as the 14th century. It is believed the family had a presence in Silesian courts as early as this time. From here, the name spread in Germany, with mentions of the family being seen in Bavaria, Wurttemberg and other parts of Europe throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Beyond Germany, the name has become spread due to immigration. During World War II the family saw a huge influx of members from war-torn regions in Eastern Europe. Later, many members of the family emigrated from Germany to English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These days, you can find members of the von Egidy family living in countries all over the globe.
Variations of the surname von Egidy
The surname von Egidy has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common of these is Egidy, with variants that include Igidy, Ajidy, Edy, Edigy, and Etigy.
The Austrian variant is van Egidy, which can also be spelled Vanegidy, Van Egidy, Vane Egidy, or Vonyegidy.
The German variant is von Egidy, with the two common spellings being Von Egedy and Von Egidy.
The Hungarian spelling is Egidi, with various variants such as Eggid, Egidii, Egidiy, and Egidious also present.
In Italian, the spelling is Egedi with the common variants Egede, Egedu, Egedy, and Egeidy.
In Polish, the surname is usually spelled Egedów, with variants such as Egedy, Egeidy, Egeydo, and Egedo.
The Romanian spelling is Egidi and the Spanish spelling is Egedi. The final variant of the surname is Egidyea, which is the Scot-Irish spelling.
This broad range of variations for von Egidy demonstrate that the surname has spread across many language and regional boundaries over the centuries, and is still widely present in different parts of Europe today.
Famous people with the name von Egidy
- Maximilian von Egidy (1790: 1868): Maximilian von Egidy was a Bavarian police commissioner and author. He served as Inspector-General of Bavarian Police from 1842 onwards, and is considered the founder of modern Bavarian police. He wrote several books on police laws and published numerous works on police reform.
- Theodor von Egidy (1846: 1916): Theodor von Egidy was a German musicologist and composer. He wrote books on general music theory, music history, and church music. He also composed two symphonies, several piano works, and several opera works.
- Viktor von Egidy (1854: 1936): Viktor von Egidy was an Austrian military officer and politician. He served in the Austrian Army for over forty years, and eventually became a member of the Austrian Parliament in 1895.
- Rudolf von Egidy (1864: 1950): Rudolf von Egidy was a German zoologist who specialised in botany and zoology. He was the author of several books, including a complete survey of the invertebrates of Germany, and “Studies in the Ecology of Invertebrates.”
- Felix von Egidy (1877: 1951): Felix von Egidy was a German engineer and inventor. He is known for developing several groundbreaking innovations in gunnery and armament. He also invented the first modern artillery fuze.
- Richard von Egidy (1883: 1965): Richard von Egidy was a military officer and politician in Germany. He served in the Prussian and German military for almost forty years, eventually becoming a Major-General in 1937. After the Second World War he served on the German council of disarmament.
- Karl von Egidy (1887: 1957): Karl von Egidy was a German mathematician who specialised in applied algebra. He contributed to various areas of mathematics including number theory, probability theory, and algebraic geometry. He also wrote several textbooks on mathematics.