Surname Kienleitner - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Kienleitner: What does the surname Kienleitner mean?
The last name Kienleitner is derived from German and is composed of two words combined: ‘Kien’ meaning ‘pine’ and ‘Leitner’ meaning ‘counsel’. In literal terms, Kienleitner is thought to mean ‘Counsel of the Pine’, or ‘Pine Counselor’.
The earliest records of the Kienleitner name date back to the 1500s. This suggests the family were living in the region of the Bodensee Colne in Germany, where the first mention of the family was made. The region at that time was largely agricultural and it is likely that the family were a part of this aspect of life.
The spelling of the name evolved over time, due to regional dialects and variations in writing, it is often seen spelled as Kienlein, Kienleiter, Kienliner and Kienleuter. Later on, the term ‘Leiter’ (counselor) was dropped from the name, leaving just ‘Kienle’ in some forms.
Kienleitners in Europe flourished as merchants, landowners, political advisors as well as becoming persons of various local government positions. Individuals of the family are known to have taken part in various military campaigns to defend their country over the centuries and moved to more populous and populous areas as the population grew.
Today the Kienleitner name is relatively common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United States. It is likely there are thousands of individuals with this name to be found world-wide. It seems to suggest that the Kienleitner family was one which was part of a strong culture of advising and advice-giving. They were a proud and noble people who had a heavy presence in their regions throughout history.
Order DNA origin analysisKienleitner: Where does the name Kienleitner come from?
The last name Kienleitner is most commonly today found in Europe – particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In Germany, there are over 57,000 people bearing the name Kienleitner and it is particularly popular in the southern German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
In Austria, there are over 2000 people with the name Kienleitner. The name is most common in the Austrian states of Styria, Lower Austria, and Vienna. In Styria, it is even amongst the top 100 surnames.
In Switzerland, approximately 250 people carry the Kienleitner name. It is most common in the Swiss cantons of Glarus, Zurich, St. Gallen, and Schaffhausen.
The Kienleitner surname may also be found across countries in Europe, including France, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, as well as across the United States.
The Kienleitner name is derived from the German word Kieneln, which means "turning or rotating." It is likely that the surname was originally associated with a profession involving spinning or turning. Today, the name is broadly associated with various families throughout Europe and beyond.
Variations of the surname Kienleitner
The surname Kienleitner has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spelling is Kienleitner, while Kienleiter, Kienleiter, and Kienlitter are less occasional variants of the same name. In addition, even Koenleitner, Kenlein, Kenleitner, Kienlieter, Kienleither, Keinleitner, Kienleiter, Kienleetner, Kienlietner, Kienveitner, and Kienvittner are used as alternative spellings for this surname.
In addition, surnames of the same origin as Kienleitner include Kienlein, Kienlinder, Kienling, Kienly, Kinleiter, Kienlet, Kienletz, Kienlitz, Kienllin, Theile, Thiele, Feile, Kaneleitner, Hille, Heil, and Kainleitner.
At the same time, some sources indicate that Kienleitner is of English, German, and Dutch origin. The various spellings of Kienleitner and the related surnames are thought to be the result of various immigration patterns and the constant change of language, meaning that there could be other spellings that have been used over the centuries.
In any case, Kienleitner and its many variants and related surnames are all variations of the same origin, which dates back to the time of immigration to the US.
Famous people with the name Kienleitner
- Martin Kienleitner, German painter
- Thomas Kienleitner, Austrian footballer
- Ricky Kienleitner, American artist
- Rudolf Kienleitner, Austrian politician
- Eduard Kienleitner, German molecular biologist
- Harald Kienleitner, Austrian actor
- Ulrike Kienleitner, Austrian journalist
- Sabine Kienleitner, Austrian writer
- Friedrich Kienleitner, German botanist
- Tim Kienleitner, German musician