Low German Surnames
These names are used in northern Germany and the eastern Netherlands where Low German is spoken. See also German names.
32 surnames in our directory
Low German
32Ahlers is a German surname with Low German origins. It is most common in northern Germany and among diaspora communities. The name means "son of Alard," a variant of Adalhard, which derives from the Old German elements a...
Baasch is a German surname originating in the Low German language region. It derives from the Middle Low German word bas, meaning "boss" or "master", likely originally an occupational nickname for a supervisor or foreman...
Boesch is a German and Low German surname, a variant of Bösch 1 or Bösch 2. The first form, Bösch 1, originated as a diminutive of the given name Sebastian, which itself comes from the Latin name Sebastianus meaning "fro...
Bosch 1 is a Dutch and Low German occupational or locational surname, derived from Middle Dutch bosch meaning "wood" or "forest." The name likely originated as a toponymic surname for someone who lived near a wood or for...
Etymology and OriginBösch 2 is a Low German variant of the surname Bosch 1, which is derived from Middle Dutch bosch meaning "wood, forest". The surname thus originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a f...
Brauer is a surname of Low German origin, derived from the Middle Low German word bruwer, meaning "brewer."Etymology and HistoryThe name Brauer is a cognate of the English surname Brewer and the Dutch Brouwer, all sharin...
Buhr is a Low German surname, a regional form of the more widespread German surname Bauer, which originally denoted a peasant, farmer, or neighbor. The name derives from the Old High German word bur, meaning “peasant, fa...
Foth is a surname derived from nickname meaning "foot" in Low German. Like many surnames originating in medieval Europe, Foth likely described a physical characteristic or perhaps an occupation of the original bearer—for...
Hinrichs is a Low German surname derived from the given name Hinrich, which is a Low German form of Heinrich, itself ultimately from the Germanic name Henry, meaning "home ruler." The surname is patronymic, indicating "s...
Holst is a surname of Danish, Dutch, and Low German origin, originally referring to a person from the region of Holstein between Germany and Denmark. The name is an ethnic name for someone from that area, and it has been...
Kock is a Dutch and Low German cognate of the occupational surname Cook, meaning "cook." It originates as a variant of the English and German surname Kok (Dutch for "cook") and shares the same etymology: derived from Old...
Etymology and OriginsKramer is a surname of Low German origin, derived as a variant of Krämer, an occupational name meaning "shopkeeper" or "merchant." The German word Krämer itself traces back to Old High German kram ("...
Lorenzen is a predominantly Danish and Low German patronymic surname meaning "son of Lorens". The name Lorens itself is an Old Scandinavian form of Laurence 1, ultimately deriving from the Roman cognomen Laurentius, mean...
Etymology and OriginMas 2 is a Dutch and Low German surname, representing a variant of Maas, which itself originated as a short form of the given name Thomas. While many bearers of the Mas 2 surname today may not be dire...
Mertens is a surname of Flemish origin, meaning "son of Merten." The name Merten is a medieval Low German variant of Martin, which itself derives from the Roman name Martinus, ultimately linked to Mars, the Roman god of...
Möller is a Swedish and Low German occupational surname primarily Müller, ultimately derived from the common European occupational name for a miller. This name is first and foremost an occupational surname, identifying a...
Papke is a diminutive form of papa, derived from Low German, making it a variant of the surname Pope. The English surname Pope originates from a nickname for someone who played the role of the pope in a play or pageant,...
Pohl 1 is a Low German surname, functioning as a cognate of the English surname Poole. Both names derive from the same linguistic root, indicative of a topographic origin.The root name, Poole, comes from the Old English...
Portner is a cognate of the English occupational surname Porter, originating from Low German regions. While Porter directly derives from Old French porte meaning "door," reflecting a doorkeeper or gatekeeper, Portner fol...
Rademacher is a cognate of the Dutch surname Rademaker, both deriving from the same occupational origin. The name ultimately comes from Middle Low German rad meaning "wheel" and maker meaning "maker," thus referring to a...
Reese is a low German surname, serving as a cognate of the German surname Riese. The root name Riese derives from the Middle Low German and Old High German word risi, meaning "giant."The name likely originated as a nickn...
Rieck is a German surname with Low German origins, serving as a regional variant of the surname Reich. The root name Reich derives from Middle High German riche, meaning "rich" or "powerful," ultimately from Old High Ger...
Schermer is a Dutch and Low German surname derived from Schirmer, an occupational name for a fencer or fencing master. The root comes from Old High German skirmen, meaning "to defend," and later evolved into the German S...
Schräder is a German surname primarily found in the Low German dialects. It is a variant of Schröder, an occupational name for a tailor.EtymologyThe name traces its roots to Middle Low German schroden "to cut, carve", fr...
Schrader is a common German surname originating as a variant of Schröder, an occupational name for a tailor from Middle Low German schroden meaning "to cut." The name is particularly prevalent in the region of Eastphalia...
Schröder 1 is a German and Low German occupational surname, derived from the Middle Low German word schroden meaning "to cut" or "to shear"—a term specifically linked to the work of a tailor or cloth-cutter. The name thu...
Schult is a Low German variant of the common German occupational surname Schulz. The root name Schulz is derived from Middle High German schultheiße, meaning "mayor" or "judge," referring to a village headman or local of...
Schulte is a German occupational surname, originating as a Low German variant of Schulz. Both names trace back to the Middle High German Schultheiße, denoting a village headman, mayor, or judge empowered to collect dues...
Tiedeman is a Low German surname that originated as a variant of Tiedemann. While primarily found as a surname, it follows the same etymological roots as its parent form.EtymologyThe name Tiedeman is a variant of Tiedema...
Unterbrink is a Low German surname meaning "dweller under the slope" from Old Saxon undar "under" and brink "edge, slope". It is a topographic name for someone who lived at the foot of a hill or slope.The element brink i...
Wegener is a Low German variant of the German surname Wagner. Derived from the occupation of a cartwright or wagon maker (Middle High German wagenære), Wagner is one of the most common German surnames. Wegener, like its...
Wegner is a German surname from Low German-speaking regions, primarily a regional variant of Wagner. The Wagner surname itself is occupational, meaning “wagon maker” or cartwright (from German Wagen “wagon” + agent suffi...