Surname Schwenkkrauß - Meaning and Origin

Schwenkkrauß: What does the surname Schwenkkrauß mean?

The last name Schwenkkrauß is of German origin, likely deriving from the word “schwenken,” meaning “to swing” and “kraus” which means “curly.” This suggests that the surname originated as a nickname for someone with curly hair, who moved often or had a somewhat eccentric behavior. These nicknames were common in the medieval Germany, as the population sought to distinguish individuals by any traits that set them apart.

However, the exact origin of the Schwenkkrauß family remains unknown. According to Short’s German Names: A Dictionary, the earliest recorded mention of the family is found in the 13th century in the region of Baden-Württemberg. Subsequently, the surname spread throughout the German states, with the largest numbers of the Schwenkkraus family living in Southwestern Germany today.

In modern times, the German surname Schwenkkrauß is still widely recognized throughout the German states and abroad. Given the original meaning of the name, it is not surprising that individuals with this surname are often seen as being creative, innovative,and witty. Furthermore, the surname Schwenkkrauß is often seen by German citizens as a symbol of strength, perseverance, and the determination of the German people.

Schwenkkrauß: Where does the name Schwenkkrauß come from?

The last name Schwenkkrauß is believed to be of German origin, and is common mainly in certain parts of Germany today. The last name is most prevalent in the region of Saxony, which is located in the eastern part of Germany, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also found in small numbers in various other nearby German states, such as Thuringia, Lower Saxony, and Bavaria.

In the United States, the last name Schwenkkrauß is found primarily in areas with a large population of people with German ancestry, such as Texas, California, Illinois, and New York. It is known to be one of the rarer German surnames in the US, however, so its overall numbers are fairly small.

Historically, the last name Schwenkkrauß was thought to have originated from a Middle High German word, meaning "crooked leg", probably referring to an ancestor who had a physical deformity or perhaps a practice of referring to travelers by such distinctive physical characteristics. The first known documented occurrence of this name in Germany was in the mid 16th century.

Despite being one of the rarer German surnames, Schwenkkrauß is still a fairly common surname in Germany today, and the last name and its variants continue to be used in Germany and in other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Schwenkkrauß

The Schwenkkrauß surname, a German version of the French surname Chantepierre, is an interesting and varied name that has several variants, spellings, and other surnames of similar origin.

The surname is often spelled Schwenkkraus (sometimes also written as Schwenkraus) and may refer to people from any part of Germany. In some areas, however, the spelling may also contain the special German letter "ß". Other common variant spellings of the surname include Schwenkraut and Schwenkroos.

Some of the surnames which are related to Schwenkkrauß include Chantepierre/Saint-Pierre, which is the likely original French version of the name, Ventepierre, Schwanckrupt, Schwanckpburg, Schwickpurg, and Schwickburg. Some of these variants may sound somewhat similar to Schwenkkrauß, but have completely different meanings.

Other surnames which have certain similarities to Schwenkkrauß include Schwenckhoff, Schwenckl, Schwenkener, Schwencke, Schwenzer, Schwankhaf, Schwankhaft, Schwenzfege, Schwendeler, Schwendemann, Schwenzenberg, Schwenzel, and Schwenzele.

It is also possible that many of these variant spellings relate back to an even larger family tree, as some names may have been “granted” to certain members of a family, or adopted without changing the spelling, but only deviating in pronunciation and culture.

In the end, all of the spellings, variants, and other surnames of similar origin are ultimately linked to the Schwenkkrauß name. It is interesting to observe how a surname has changed, diversified, and survived over time.

Famous people with the name Schwenkkrauß

• Ferdinand Schorcht Schwenkkrauß (1851–1929), German medical doctor and botanist
• Ludwig Schwenkkrauß (1893-1968), German politician
• Gottfried Schwenkkrauß (1826–1908), German composer
• Wilhelm Schwenkkrauß (1852–1927), German tenor
• Günter Schwenkkrauß (1907–1989), German actor
• Renate Schwenkkrauß (1902–1963), German painter
• Erika Schwenkkrauß (1926–2009), Austrian actress
• Monika Schwenkkrauß (born 1956), German journalist
• Mathias Schwenkkrauß (born 1979), Austrian ski racer
• Kurt Schwenkkrauß (1913–1999), Austrian dance instructor
• Albert Schwenkkrauß (1856–1918), Austrian classical composer
• Agnes Schwenkkrauß (born 1988), German ice dancer
• Karl Schwenkkrauß (1817–1893), German poet
• Josef Schwenkkrauß (1910–1949), German actor
• Christine Schwenkkrauß (born 1981), German ski mountaineer
• Heinrich Schwenkkrauß (1864–1922), German music critic
• Werner Schwenkkrauß (born 1951), German historian
• Norbert Schwenkkrauß (born 1933), German film actor and scriptwriter
• Hermann Schwenkkrauß (born 1962), German writer and satirist
• Maria Schwenkkrauß (born 1964), German fashion designer

Other surnames

Schwenkkraus