Surname Ranzau - Meaning and Origin

Ranzau: What does the surname Ranzau mean?

The last name Ranzau is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German “ranze,” meaning “waist” or “girdle,” and “aue,” meaning “meadow.” This surname most likely referred to someone who resided by a meadow near a riverbank, with a girdle being shipped through the river.

Ranzau is an ancient patronymic surname, which was originally a byname used to identify someone's father. In this case, it would have denoted a person whose father served as a girdlemaker. When surnames were adopted, a person was identified by taking on the medieval trade, residence, or family name of their father.

Other variations of the Ranzau surname include Ransau, Ranesau, Ranseau and Rantz. Members of the Ranzau family have lived in various regions of Germany since the Middle Ages. It has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States.

The Ranzau family motto is “Faithful and True.” This motto expresses the courage and strength of character that members of the family possess, as well as loyalty to the values and traditions that have been passed down for generations.

Ranzau: Where does the name Ranzau come from?

The last name Ranzau is a fairly common German name. It is most common in the northern regions of Germany, including the states of North-Rhine Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. It is also found in small numbers in Bavaria, Saxony, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and Thuringia.

The name has also spread to other countries, mainly in Europe. Records show that the name can be found in countries such as Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Switzerland and Austria.

Outside of Europe, the name can also be found in countries such as Chile, the United States, Canada and Australia. In the United States, the name is prominent in Illinois, Minnesota, Texas and Washington. It is also found in small numbers in the states of California, Massachusetts, New York and Wisconsin.

Given the above geographical distribution, it is safe to say that the last name Ranzau is common in parts of Europe, North America and South America. It is also likely that the last name Ranzau has spread to other regions of the world, as well.

Variations of the surname Ranzau

Ranzau is a German and Dutch surname which can be derived from various dialectal locations and placenames in Germany. The most common variants of the name are Ranzow, Rantzau, Rantzow, Rantsau, Rantsaue and Ranzer. Other variants found in parts of the Netherlands are Ransau and Ranseau.

The German placenames Ranzau, Rantzau and Rantzow are all related and likely derived from the personal name Randolf or Randal which, in turn, originate in the old Germanic name Randulf, which is composed of two elements, rand meaning shield and wulf meaning wolf. Therefore, the name could be derived from Randolf, which translates to 'renowned wolf', or from the place name meaning 'wolf's shield'.

In addition, the surname Ranzau is also found in Dutch records. The surname Ranzau could be derived from the place names called Ransau and Ranseau in Belgium and the Netherlands. Ransau and Ranseau are both thought to have derived from the German name 'Ranzau', or 'wolf's shield'.

In summary, Ranzau is a German and Dutch surname. The variants of the name are Ranzow, Rantzau, Rantzow, Rantsau, Rantsaue, Ranzer, Ransau and Ranseau. The surname could derive from the old Germanic name Randolf, meaning 'renowned wolf', or from placenames meaning 'wolf's shield'.

Famous people with the name Ranzau

• Derek Ranzau: an American recording artist and actor
• Janina Ranzau: German composer and pianist
• Tobias Ranzau: a French soldier from World War I
• Ernest Ranzau: an Australian musician
• Peter Ranzau: a German politician
• Richard Ranzau: a French scientist
• Robert Ranzau: an American producer and director
• Johann Ranzau: a German architect
• Gisbert Ranzau: a German historian
• David Ranzau: an Australian musician

Other surnames

Ranzan