Surname Köhnes - Meaning and Origin
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Köhnes: What does the surname Köhnes mean?
The last name Köhnes is a German name that is typically seen in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and some other German-speaking countries. It is derived from a word in the old vernacular which means “descendants of” or “family of” the artisan, or “villager”. Historically, the Köhnes family was involved in craft work, especially with the making of textiles and woodenware, suggesting their link to the artisan meaning.
The Köhnes name is also connected to a vocation, and means the family initiated in line with a certain occupation. For example in the medieval age, Köhnes embodied the activity of shoemaking, suggesting their origins are linked to this craft.
Today, the name is still seen in different parts of Germany, and it reflects the country’s deep roots in craftsmanship and work. In other regions such as Austria, the Köhnes can be part of the burgher class, a class of citizens living in cities and the most powerful class in the Holy Roman Empire since the 13th century.
Clearly, the Köhnes last name is embedded within a deep history and typical of the craftsperson or Philistine. It implies an historic and ancestral link to a certain non-noble professional class in Medieval times, as well as to the artisan who created items from raw materials.
Order DNA origin analysisKöhnes: Where does the name Köhnes come from?
The last name Köhnes is most commonly found in Germany and neighboring countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Within those countries, the name is most prevalent in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in southwestern Germany. Specifically, the largest population is concentrated in the city of Berlin.
The Köhnes surname is of German origin and is thought to have originated from the Middle High German phrase "köhnen," meaning "to conquer," or "to brave." As a result, the name is believed to be associated with a proud and dashing individual that had the strength and courage to overcome any obstacle they faced.
The Köhnes surname is also common in the United States and Canada, given the diaspora of German immigrants who have immigrated to North America over the past several centuries. In the United States, the last name is especially prominent in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which unsurprisingly have large German-American populations.
Today, Köhnes is the 73,306th most popular surname in the world, which is held by around 213,734 people. Given its Germanic roots, the name most commonly found written as Koehnes or Köhnes, although it may be spelled slightly differently in different countries or regions.
Variations of the surname Köhnes
The surname Köhnes has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include König, Köhns, Kohn, Koenig, Königs, Kohns, and Kohnes. The surnames likely originated from the German word “Köhn”, meaning “brave”, “strong”, or “noble”, as well as the suffix “-s”, meaning “son of”.
The surname Köhnes could also have originated from Middle High German “Küne”, meaning “clerk” or “scholar”, which was often seen as a prestigious occupation. This explains why it may have been adopted as a patronymic surname, evolving into the spellings Köhns or König.
Köhne and König are also used as given names, and could have become surnames in countries with a practice of using paternal surnames. For example, in Finland and Sweden, surnames like Köhnes and König are common.
Additionally, the surname could be spelled with an additional ‘s’ at the end, as seen in Kohns or Köhns, making it a plural form of the name. This could be due to multiple sons of a single Köhne ancestor, or because of marriage where each spouse wanted to retain their given name.
Finally, Köhnes could have been an adaptation of even older, longer forms of the surname due to language change and spelling reform, such as Kohnes, Koniges, or Konighes.
In conclusion, the surname Köhnes has a range of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, which could have evolved from the Middle High German word “Küne” or the German word “Köhn”, as well as through patronymics, linguistic reforms, and other methods of adoption.
Famous people with the name Köhnes
- Fritz Köhne: German weekend TV presenter
- Simon Köhne: German actor and director
- Georg Köhne: German opera singer from 18th century
- Michael Köhne: German swimmer
- Carl Köhne: German East Indian Company official
- Klaus Köhne: German former footballer
- Friedrich Köhne: German sculptor
- Fritz Köhne: German composer and conductor
- Robert Köhne: German neurologist
- Karl Köhne: German film and television director
- Alexander Köhne: German football manager
- Johannes Köhne: German painter
- Holger Köhne: German actor
- Jürgen Köhne: German film and television producer
- Hans Köhne: German theologian
- Lothar Köhne: German visual artist
- Dieter Köhne: German politician and lawyer
- Claude Köhne: French composer and organist
- Tammy Köhne: American CEO of an energy company
- Peter Köhne: German survivor of gestapo arrest during World War II