The surnames Zimmermann and Kühnster ?

[Stew]

Just curious as to the orgins of these names, both sound like they could be Jewish but as we know the Jews took a lot of common german names. What area of Duetschland do these names come from?

[cosmocreator]

Just curious as to the orgins of these names, both sound like they could be Jewish but as we know the Jews took a lot of common german names. What area of Duetschland do these names come from?

I grew up with a friend whose name was Zimmer. He was German. I think his father even fought in WWII on the German side.

Zimmermann has two origins -- one German, one Jewish. I don't know about Kühnster.

[Phlegethon]

Zimmermann has two origins -- one German, one Jewish.

Why don't you just admit that you have absolutely no clue before you post some ridiculous nonsense?

Zimmermann is the German word for carpenter, and thus is almost as widespread as Smith and Miller in the English-speaking world.

[Nordgau]

Yeah, Zimmermann is an absolutely normal and wide-spreaded name all over Germany. There are also Jews who have it, as most Ashkenazim Jews have somehow German names, but "Zimmermann" is not more spreaded among Jews than among Germans and thus not a "typical Jewish" name.

"Kühnster" means literally "bravest", and it is probably such a "character name". More likely is in my opinion that it is derived as surename from the first name "Konrad"/"Kunrad". I can look it up till tomorrow.

[cosmocreator]

Why don't you just admit that you have absolutely no clue before you post some ridiculous nonsense?

http://search.swyrich.com/searchresu...mann&sId=&t=97

[Mac Seafraidh]

I thought Zimmer meant room in german, but I guess it is not literal "Man of the Room". I think Zimmerman can be Yiddish also. The other name is German because the Jews do not use umlauts.

[Stew]

Well Sehr Gud

Thanks for the translation of Zimmermann, carpenter being a tradesman name makes sence that it would be widespread. I'm interested to know where in Germany these names may have originated, Zimmerman is probably found all over, but how about Kühnster, and is it any relation to the common surname Kuhn?

How about the name Knipshier?

Thanks again for the replys!

[Nordgau]

I thought Zimmer meant room in german, but I guess it is not literal "Man of the Room". I think Zimmerman can be Yiddish also.

Zimmer means room and his related to the verb zimmern (to carpenter, to build of wood).
I don't know why Jews exactly got this name in the early 19th, late 19th century, when most Jews in their "Schtetls" got surenames by the authorities. Perhaps the profession of those who got this name was really carpenter. "Zimmerman" is then only a writing form, distant from the German writing of that name. Such writing forms often appear when Jews with German names come under non-German authorities (Polish, Russian or also French etc.), e. g. "Grünspan" (verdigris) can become under Polish authorities "Grynszpan", in America "Greenspan".

The other name is German because the Jews do not use umlauts.

Oh, I think the "Greenbergs" were "Grünbergs" before coming to America, and "Loew" is only an auxiliary form of "Löw".

[Nordgau]

[...] but how about Kühnster, and is it any relation to the common surname Kuhn?

I didn't really found the name "Kühnster", but all similar forms (Kühn, Kühnet etc.) are most likely derived from the first name Konrad, also is "Kuhn". Neither "Kuhn" nor "Kühnert" sound Jewish from me, by the way. "Kuhn" is not so seldom among Germans, and also a few Jews may have that name, but it isn't like "Kohn"/"Cohn" a typical Jewish name.

How about the name Knipshier?

Sounds odd. Are you sure this name really exists?

[Stew]

I'm very sorry, the name i meant to post was Künster, not Kühnster, my bad!

I also spelled Knipshier wrong its Knipschier

Hope that helps!

One last question: is Wittke a German name? any idea what part of Germany its from?