Surname Konrads - Meaning and Origin
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Konrads: What does the surname Konrads mean?
The surname Konrads is of German origin, derived from the Germanic personal name Conrad, which means “bold counsel.” The suffix “s,” meaning “son of,” was added after the German name. The name became a surname by the early 15th century.
There is a widespread mythology that the Konrads were descended from the ancient Britons of the Isle of Wight and their origins are linked with the name of King Congar and his descendants. This is, however, based on inaccurate records which led to the mistaken belief that the Konrad family originated in the 10th century. The first recorded usage of the surname is much more recent and is found in documents from the 16th century onwards.
The Konrads family originated in northern Germany and is also found in every region of Germany and across Europe. The name is fairly common and is thought to be related to the Konrad family, indicating a home region in the Palatinate area of Germany.
The most famous bearer of the Konrad surname was the Prussian Marshall Helmuth von Major, who was born Konrads, in 18157. Von Moltke was a soldier and statesman who distinguished himself in the 1870 Franco-Prussian war and served as Field Marshall from 1877 to 1888. He was largely responsible for Prussia's transformation into the German empire.
The Konrads widely dispersed, although there is an active family association in Germany. They continued to be influential in establishing and building successful businesses and other enterprises, and today the Konrads name is associated with economic and social success in Germany.
Order DNA origin analysisKonrads: Where does the name Konrads come from?
The last name Konrads is most commonly seen today in German speaking countries, particularly Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is thought to have originated as a surname for someone living near the Konradsburg castle in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Early references to this surname have been found in religious documents dating back to the 13th century. Konrads is most often a surname, but can occasionally be found as a given name in some regions.
In recent years, Konrads is increasingly popping up in North America. Immigration records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show many immigrants with the Konrads surname. Americans of German descent still living in traditional German areas, like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are known to still possess the surname. Some have their last name spelled differently, such as Koonrad or Koonrads, but all descend from the ancient German Konrads family.
Konrads is a unique last name that still lives on today, thanks to its German roots and the perseverance of immigrant families who have passed it down for generations. It may be less common than many surnames, but it is alive and kicking.
Variations of the surname Konrads
The surname Konrads is of Germanic origin and can be found in a variety of spellings and variants such as Konrath, Konradt, Kondrad, Cunrad, Konrod, and Conrath. The surname is derived from the given name Conrad, and was likely established as a hereditary surname at some point in the Middle Ages.
The surname Konrads is very common in various European countries, particularly in Germany and Austria. It is also common in the United States, especially in areas with a large German-American population.
Konrad is the most common spelling of the surname in Germany, while in Austria it is usually spelled Konrath. In the United States, the variants Konradt and Kondrad are the most commonly found spellings. The spelling Cunrad is also quite common in Germany and Austria.
Variant spellings of the name include Conrath, which is found mostly in Germany and Austria, and Konrod, which is more commonly found in the United States.
Surnames that are derived from this name include Konradson, Konradsson, Konrady, and Konradsen. These are all patronymic forms of the surname, derived from the given names of a father or ancestor.
In addition, there are several variants of the surname Konrads in different languages, such as Kumarada in Maltese, Konrad in Polish, and Gontrand in French.
Altogether, the surname Konrads is very common and can be found in a variety of spellings and variants across a number of European and American countries.
Famous people with the name Konrads
- Günther Konrads: West German American track and field athlete who won a gold medal for the men’s 4x100 m relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
- Michael Konrads: Olympic swimmer and multiple-time world champion from Australia.
- Stefan Konrads: German athlete, specialising in the 400 m hurdles.
- Katharina Konrads: German long-distance runner, who competed for the United Team of Germany in the 5,000 m event at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
- Ute Konrads: German track and field athlete, who competed in the 1978 European Athletics Championships in Prague.
- Wilfried Konrads: East German hurdler, who became European champion in the 400 m event at the 1967 European Athletics Championships in Bucharest.
- Alexander Konrads: German field hockey player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Ferdinand Konrads: German rower who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics.
- Wilfried Konrads: German Paralympic judo competitor who was awarded a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Paralympics.
- Ulf Konrads: German footballer who played as a midfielder from 1965 to 1972.