German Names from Nürnberg, 1497
by Sara L. Uckelman
known in the SCA as Aryanhwy merch Catmael
© 2005-2006, 2013-2014 Sara L. Uckelman; all rights reserved
last updated 22May14
Introduction
The following names are taken from taxation records from 1497. There are roughly 2600 men and woman from Nürnberg, Germany, and around 7000 men and women from surrounding cities (the list from the surrounding cities is not complete; I moved out of the country and had to return the book to the library before I could complete the transcription. I hope to find another copy of the book from which I can complete the transcription). The language spoken here at this time is one of the Middle High German dialects, East Franconian, which is similar to Lower Bavarian. A letter in brackets indicates one which was superscripted above the previous letter.
Naming patterns
Everyone had only one given name, and almost everyone had only one surname. In the few examples of double surnames, the second was always a locative, e.g. Jorg Moler von Eystet. There is a list of surnames available, as well as information about how women's surnames were formed.
Place Names
The place names were given in the spelling from the tax record, and cross-referenced to the modern spelling of the place name. There is an an incomplete index of the place names available.
Given Names
Because there appear to be some significant spelling (and hence dialectal) differences in the names from Nürnberg proper and the ones from the surrounding cities, I have listed the given names, by frequency, in two lists, one for each data set. The lists are given side by side, and this will hopefully display the similarity in the frequencies and the differences in spellings.
Masculine given names, by frequency
| Nürnberg | Surrounding cities |
|---|
| Name | Number |
|---|
| Hanns | 691 |
| Hanns | 527 |
| Hans | 155 |
| Johannes | 3 |
| Johann | 3 |
| Johan | 1 |
| Johanns | 1 |
| Johans | 1 |
| Contz | 225 |
| Contz | 163 |
| Cuntz | 48 |
| Conrat | 10 |
| Kuntz | 2 |
| Conra [sic] | 1 |
| Conrade | 1 |
| Heintz | 161 |
| Heintz | 66 |
| Haintz | 65 |
| Hainrich | 22 |
| Heinrich | 7 |
| Haints | 1 |
| Fritz | 120 |
| Fritz | 118 |
| Friderich | 1 |
| Frietz | 1 |
| Jorg | 120 |
| Jorg | 119 |
| Jörg | 1 |
| Peter | 81 |
| Peter | 81 |
| Ulrich | 79 |
| Ulrich | 79 |
| Michel | 73 |
| Michel | 53 |
| Michell | 19 |
| Mickel | 1 |
| Clas | 72 |
| Clas | 36 |
| Niclas | 33 |
| Klas | 1 |
| Nickell | 1 |
| Niclaus | 1 |
| Linhart | 58 |
| Linhart | 53 |
| Lienhart | 4 |
| Linhar [sic] | 1 |
| Jacob | 51 |
| Jacob | 51 |
| Endres | 45 |
| Endres | 45 |
| Herman | 44 |
| Herman | 41 |
| Hermann | 2 |
| Hermen | 1 |
| Erhart | 43 |
| Erhart | 43 |
| Steffan | 35 |
| Steffan | 30 |
| Steffann | 5 |
| Paulus | 32 |
| Paulus | 32 |
| Mertin | 31 |
| Mertin | 18 |
| Mertein | 11 |
| Martin | 1 |
| Merte | 1 |
| Mates | 26 |
| Mates | 14 |
| Mathes | 11 |
| Mathews | 1 |
| Sewolt | 25 |
| Sewolt | 25 |
| Lorentz | 21 |
| Lorentz | 21 |
| Bartelmes | 19 |
| Bartelmes | 18 |
| Bartlmes | 1 |
| Jobst | 17 |
| Jobst | 17 |
| Wolfgang | 17 |
| Wolfgang | 7 |
| Wolffgang | 4 |
| Wolffganng | 4 |
| Wolfganng | 2 |
| Marx | 15 |
| Marx | 15 |
| Caspar | 14 |
| Caspar | 13 |
| Casper | 1 |
| Thoman | 13 |
| Thoman | 7 |
| Toman | 6 |
| Wilhelm | 13 |
| Wilhelm | 13 |
| Albrecht | 12 |
| Albrecht | 12 |
| Antoni | 12 |
| Antoni | 12 |
| Cristoff | 12 |
| Cristoff | 10 |
| Cristoffel | 1 |
| Cristoffell | 1 |
| Bernhart | 11 |
| Bernhart | 11 |
| Eberhart | 11 |
| Eberhart | 9 |
| Eberle | 2 |
| Ludwig | 11 |
| Ludwig | 10 |
| Lu[e]dwig | 1 |
| Sewastian | 10 |
| Sewastian | 10 |
| Jeronimus | 9 |
| Jeronimus | 9 |
| N. [1] | 9 |
| N. | 9 |
| Ott | 9 |
| Ott | 9 |
| Seitz | 7 |
| Seitz | 6 |
| Seyfrid | 1 |
| Sigmund | 7 |
| Sigmund | 7 |
| Six | 7 |
| Six | 4 |
| Sixt | 3 |
| Burckhart | 6 |
| Burckhart | 6 |
| Frantz | 5 |
| Frantz | 5 |
| Gilg | 5 |
| Gilg | 5 |
| Symon | 5 |
| Symon | 3 |
| Simon | 2 |
| Wolff | 5 |
| Wolff | 5 |
| Berchtold | 4 |
| Berchtold | 4 |
| Gabriell | 4 |
| Gabriell | 3 |
| Gabriel | 1 |
| Oßwald | 4 |
| Oßwald | 3 |
| Oßwalt | 1 |
| Adam | 3 |
| Adam | 3 |
| Baltasar | 3 |
| Baltasar | 2 |
| Baltsar | 1 |
| Bangratz | 3 |
| Bangratz | 2 |
| Pangrat | 1 |
| Crafft | 3 |
| Crafft | 2 |
| Craft | 1 |
| Engelhart | 3 |
| Engelhart | 3 |
| Ewkarius | 3 |
| Ewkarius | 3 |
| Kilian | 3 |
| Kilian | 3 |
| Lucas | 3 |
| Lucas | 3 |
| Vallentin | 3 |
| Vallentin | 3 |
| Veit | 3 |
| Veit | 3 |
| Wentzel | 3 |
| Wentzel | 3 |
| Allexander | 2 |
| Allexander | 2 |
| Augustin | 2 |
| Augustin | 2 |
| Benedick | 2 |
| Benedick | 2 |
| Dieterich | 2 |
| Dieterich | 1 |
| Dietz | 1 |
| Felix | 2 |
| Felix | 2 |
| Moritz | 2 |
| Moritz | 2 |
| Rudolff | 2 |
| Rudolff | 2 |
| Ruprecht | 2 |
| Rueprecht | 1 |
| Ruprecht | 1 |
| Urban | 2 |
| Urban | 2 |
| Conrle [sic] | 1 |
| Conrle | 1 |
| Cristin | 1 |
| Cristin | 1 |
| Gall | 1 |
| Gall | 1 |
| Gerhart | 1 |
| Gerhart | 1 |
| Gothart | 1 |
| Gothart | 1 |
| Gotleib | 1 |
| Gotleib | 1 |
| Gu[o]nwolt | 1 |
| Gu[o]nwolt | 1 |
| Hector | 1 |
| Hector | 1 |
| Hartmann | 1 |
| Hartmann | 1 |
| Harttung | 1 |
| Harttung | 1 |
| Herwart | 1 |
| Herwart | 1 |
| Heymerant | 1 |
| Heymerant | 1 |
| Jeremias | 1 |
| Jeremias | 1 |
| Karll | 1 |
| Karll | 1 |
| Lamprecht | 1 |
| Lamprecht | 1 |
| Laux | 1 |
| Laux | 1 |
| Leßle | 1 |
| Leßle | 1 |
| Marschillius | 1 |
| Marschillius | 1 |
| Melchor | 1 |
| Melchor | 1 |
| Otig | 1 |
| Otig | 1 |
| Philip | 1 |
| Philip | 1 |
| Raphael | 1 |
| Raphael | 1 |
| Sewfrid | 1 |
| Sewfrid | 1 |
| Tiepolt | 1 |
| Tiepolt | 1 |
| Tiling | 1 |
| Tiling | 1 |
| Volckamar | 1 |
| Volckamar | 1 |
| Volckel | 1 |
| Volckel | 1 |
| Volckhart | 1 |
| Volckhart | 1 |
| Walther | 1 |
| Walther | 1 |
| Wendel | 1 |
| Wendel | 1 |
| Wernhart | 1 |
| Wernhart | 1 |
| Wilwolt | 1 |
| Wilwolt | 1 |
| Wolffhart | 1 |
| Wolffhart | 1 |
| Zacharias | 1 |
| Zacharias | 1 |
|
| Name | Number |
|---|
| Hans | 1699 |
| Hans | 1016 |
| Hanns | 390 |
| Hanß | 168 |
| Hannß | 58 |
| Hanncz | 28 |
| Hancz | 18 |
| Henslein | 8 |
| Henßlein | 3 |
| Ha(n)s | 1 |
| Hanss | 1 |
| Hansz | 1 |
| Hennsel | 1 |
| Hennslein | 1 |
| Hensell | 1 |
| Heslein | 1 |
| Johannes | 1 |
| Kuncz | 747 |
| Kuncz | 571 |
| Cuncz | 157 |
| Kuntz | 19 |
| Cuntz | 9 |
| Kunczlein | 2 |
| Concz | 1 |
| Kunrhadt [sic] | 1 |
| Heincz | 484 |
| Heincz | 452 |
| Heintz | 14 |
| Haincz | 9 |
| Haeincz | 2 |
| Haintz | 2 |
| Heinrich | 2 |
| Hainncz | 1 |
| Hein | 1 |
| Hein(z) | 1 |
| Fricz | 400 |
| Fricz | 369 |
| Fritz | 12 |
| Frycz | 11 |
| Ffricz | 2 |
| Frytz | 2 |
| Frics | 1 |
| Fridel | 2 |
| Fridlein | 1 |
| Frix | 1 |
| Ulrich | 236 |
| Ulrich | 95 |
| Ullein | 63 |
| Ulle | 35 |
| Ull | 29 |
| Ullrich | 4 |
| Utz | 4 |
| Ullen | 2 |
| Ule | 1 |
| Ulein | 1 |
| Ullrych | 1 |
| Ulrych | 1 |
| Jorg | 192 |
| Jorg | 192 |
| Herman | 145 |
| Herman | 51 | Herma(n) | 51 |
| Hermon | 41 |
| Herman(n) | 2 |
| Hermo | 1 |
| Petter | 131 |
| Petter | 107 | Pett(er) | 12 |
| Peter | 6 |
| Pette(r) | 6 |
| Michel | 101 |
| Michel | 97 |
| Michell | 4 |
| Linhart | 95 |
| Linhart | 44 |
| Linhardt | 28 |
| Lynhart | 19 |
| Linhartt | 1 |
| Lynhardt | 1 |
| Lynha(r)t | 1 |
| Lynhartt | 1 |
| Klas | 76 |
| Klas | 28 |
| Clas | 11 |
| Nickel | 8 |
| Claß | 7 |
| Klaß | 7 |
| Nicklas | 6 |
| Clauß | 3 |
| Klaus | 2 |
| Nicklaß | 2 |
| Class | 1 |
| Klos | 1 |
| Nickles | 1 |
| Eberlein | 67 |
| Eberlein | 56 |
| Ebberlein | 3 |
| Eberhardt | 2 |
| Berlein | 1 |
| Eberardt | 1 |
| Eberhart | 1 |
| Eberhartt | 1 |
| Eberla | 1 |
| Erberlein | 1 |
| Jacob | 63 |
| Jacob | 34 |
| Jackob | 24 |
| Jacopp | 3 |
| Erhardt | 62 |
| Erhardt | 30 |
| Erhart | 29 |
| Erardt | 2 |
| Erharddt | 1 |
| Lorencz | 61 |
| Lorencz | 58 |
| Lornencz [sic] | 2 |
| Lorncz [sic] | 1 |
| Steffan | 55 |
| Steffan | 52 |
| Steffen | 2 |
| Steffann | 1 |
| Endres | 52 |
| Endres | 25 |
| Enders | 17 |
| Enderes | 3 |
| Enderß | 2 |
| Endreß | 2 |
| Endereß | 1 |
| Ennders | 1 |
| Enndres | 1 |
| Mertein | 32 |
| Mertein | 8 |
| Merten | 8 |
| Merthein | 7 |
| Mertten | 7 |
| Mertei(n) | 1 |
| Mertell | 1 |
| Ott | 30 |
| Ott | 27 |
| Ot | 2 |
| Ottel | 1 |
| Paulus | 30 |
| Paulus | 23 |
| Paul(us) | 5 |
| Pa(u)lus | 1 |
| Pauluß | 1 |
| Sebolt | 29 |
| Sebolt | 17 |
| Sebalt | 8 |
| Sebald | 2 |
| Sebatt | 1 |
| Sebbolt | 1 |
| Thoman | 28 |
| Thoma(n) | 11 |
| Thoman | 7 |
| Thomen | 2 |
| Thomo(n) | 2 |
| Toman | 2 |
| Tomen | 2 |
| Thoma | 1 |
| Th(o)mas | 1 |
| Thomas | 1 |
| Albrecht | 26 |
| Albrecht | 26 |
| Mathes | 25 |
| Mathes | 17 |
| Mades | 2 |
| Madtes | 1 |
| Madthes | 1 |
| Matheys | 1 |
| Mattehes | 1 |
| Matthes | 1 |
| Simon | 16 |
| Simon | 4 |
| Symon | 4 |
| Simo(n) | 3 |
| Siman | 2 |
| Syman | 2 |
| Syma(n) | 1 |
| Wilhelm | 16 |
| Wilhelm | 12 |
| Wylhelm | 3 |
| Wilhem | 1 |
| Merckel | 13 |
| Merckel | 12 |
| Mercklin | 1 |
| Sixt | 12 |
| Sixt | 8 |
| Syxt | 4 |
| Crista | 8 |
| Crista | 6 |
| Crist | 1 |
| Cristan | 1 |
| Jobst | 8 |
| Jobst | 8 |
| Engelhardt | 7 |
| Engelhardt | 3 |
| Engalhardt | 2 |
| Eng(e)lhart | 1 |
| Engelhart | 1 |
| Seytz | 7 |
| Seytz | 6 |
| Seycz | 1 |
| Cristoff | 6 |
| Cristoff | 3 |
| Kristoff | 2 |
| Stoffel | 1 |
| Killian | 6 |
| Killian | 4 |
| Kylian | 1 |
| Kylion | 1 |
| Marx | 6 |
| Marx | 6 |
| Parttelmes | 6 |
| Parttelmes | 3 |
| Bartellmeß | 1 |
| Bartlmes | 1 |
| Partelmeß | 1 |
| Pertolt | 6 |
| Pertolt | 4 |
| Perttoldt | 1 |
| Perttolt | 1 |
| Kasper | 5 |
| Kasper | 5 |
| Ludwich | 5 |
| Ludwich | 3 |
| Ludwig | 2 |
| Pernhardt | 5 |
| Pernhardt | 2 |
| Bernhardt | 1 |
| Bernhart | 1 |
| Bernhartt | 1 |
| Wolff | 5 |
| Wolff | 2 |
| Wolf | 1 |
| Wolffel | 1 |
| Wollff | 1 |
| Wollffgang | 4 |
| Wollffgang | 2 |
| Wolffgang | 1 |
| Wollffgangk | 1 |
| Gilg | 3 |
| Gilg | 2 |
| Gillg | 1 |
| Max | 3 |
| Max | 3 |
| Pesolt | 3 |
| Pesolt | 2 |
| Pessolt | 1 |
| Veytt | 3 |
| Veytt | 2 |
| Veitt | 1 |
| Casp(er) | 2 |
| Casp(er) | 2 |
| Dicz | 2 |
| Dicz | 1 |
| Ditrich | 1 |
| Gabriell | 2 |
| Gabriell | 2 |
| Kari(us) | 2 |
| Kari(us) | 2 |
| Purckhart | 2 |
| Purckhart | 2 |
| Rudell | 2 |
| Rudell | 1 |
| Rudolt | 1 |
| Sebastion | 2 |
| Sebastion | 2 |
| Uc[c]z | 2 |
| Uc[c]z | 1 |
| Ucz | 1 |
| Viczens | 2 |
| Viczens | 2 |
| Volckel | 2 |
| Volckel | 1 |
| Wolckel | 1 |
| Walcz | 2 |
| Walcz | 2 |
| Wernlein | 2 |
| Wernlein | 2 |
| Wilbalt | 2 |
| Wilbalt | 1 |
| Wilbolt | 1 |
| Wunbalt | 2 |
| Wunbalt | 1 |
| Wunwalt | 1 |
| Allexius | 1 |
| Allexius | 1 |
| Ambrosius | 1 |
| Ambrosius | 1 |
| Benedic | 1 |
| Benedic | 1 |
| Clement | 1 |
| Clement | 1 |
| Crafft | 1 |
| Crafft | 1 |
| Dieppolt | 1 |
| Dieppolt | 1 |
| Eckhart | 1 |
| Eckhart | 1 |
| Frihttri | 1 |
| Frihttri | 1 |
| Gocz | 1 |
| Gocz | 1 |
| Gotthart | 1 |
| Gotthart | 1 |
| Gronius | 1 |
| Gronimus | 1 |
| Hartma(n) | 1 |
| Hartma(n) | 1 |
| Herlein | 1 |
| Herlein | 1 |
| Hermert | 1 |
| Hermert | 1 |
| Leippoldt | 1 |
| Leippoldt | 1 |
| Lucz | 1 |
| Lucz | 1 |
| Marckert | 1 |
| Marckert | 1 |
| Mendel | 1 |
| Mendel | 1 |
| Merthey | 1 |
| Merthey | 1 |
| Pernnolt | 1 |
| Pernnolt | 1 |
| Reichert | 1 |
| Reichert | 1 |
| Seubbart | 1 |
| Seubbart | 1 |
| Seuffridt | 1 |
| Seuffridt | 1 |
| Sygmu(n)d | 1 |
| Sygmu(n)d | 1 |
| Volckhart | 1 |
| Volckhart | 1 |
| Walthasser | 1 |
| Walthasser | 1 |
| Wernhart | 1 |
| Wernhart | 1 |
| Wolfflein | 1 |
| Wolfflein | 1 |
|
Feminine given names, by frequency
| Nürnberg | Surrounding cities |
|---|
| Name | Number |
|---|
| Anna | 43 |
| Anna | 43 |
| Margreth | 37 |
| Margreth | 37 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Els | 27 |
| Els | 22 |
| Elsbeth | 4 |
| Elßbeth | 1 |
| Katerina | 25 |
| Katerina | 14 |
| Katherina | 9 |
| Barbara | 22 |
| Barbara | 20 |
| Barb | 2 |
| Kungund | 19 |
| Kungund | 19 |
| Angnes | 11 |
| Angnes | 9 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Cristina | 9 |
| Cristina | 9 |
| Ursel | 8 |
| Ursel | 4 |
| Ursell | 2 |
| Ursula | 2 |
| Ella | 5 |
| Ella | 3 |
| Ell | 2 |
| Helena | 5 |
| Helena | 5 |
| Madalena | 4 |
| Madalena | 2 |
| Madlen | 2 |
| Clara | 3 |
| Clara | 3 |
| Dorothea | 3 |
| Dorothea | 3 |
| Apell | 2 |
| Apell | 1 |
| Apolonia | 1 |
| Brigita | 2 |
| Brigita | 2 |
| Engell | 2 |
| Engell | 2 |
| Peternella | 2 |
| Peternella | 2 |
| Adelhayt | 1 |
| Adelhayt | 1 |
| Affra | 1 |
| Affra | 1 |
| Fela | 1 |
| Fela | 1 |
| Ottilg | 1 |
| Ottilg | 1 |
| Sibilla | 1 |
| Sibilla | 1 |
| Wlpurg | 1 |
| Wlpurg | 1 |
|
| Name | Number |
|---|
| Els | 65 |
| Els | 51 |
| Elß | 13 |
| Ells | 1 |
| Margret | 60 |
| Margret | 18 |
| Margredt | 16 |
| Margreth | 10 |
| Gredt | 5 |
| Margretth | 4 |
| Margareth | 3 |
| Margeredt | 1 |
| Marget | 1 |
| Margett | 1 |
| Margrett | 1 |
| Anna | 54 |
| Anna | 41 |
| Ann | 8 |
| An(n) | 3 |
| An | 2 |
| Kun | 38 |
| Kun | 31 |
| Kuen | 2 |
| Kunlein | 2 |
| Ku[e]n | 1 |
| Kungund | 1 |
| Kungunt | 1 |
| Kathrina | 34 |
| Kathrina | 13 |
| Katterina | 9 |
| Kattera | 2 |
| Katterein | 2 |
| Katterin | 2 |
| Katerina | 1 |
| Katherina | 1 |
| Kathrin | 1 |
| Katrina | 1 |
| Katteran | 1 |
| Kettherlein | 1 |
| Crista | 28 |
| Crista | 13 |
| Cristina | 5 |
| Krista | 4 |
| Kristina | 2 |
| Ckristina | 1 |
| Criste | 1 |
| Kristan | 1 |
| Agnes | 22 |
| Agnes | 18 |
| Anges [sic] | 2 |
| Agneß | 1 |
| Angnes | 1 |
| Barbera | 12 |
| Barbera | 6 |
| Barbara | 3 |
| Barb | 1 |
| Ba(r)bara | 1 |
| Barbar(a) | 1 |
| Ell | 10 |
| Ell | 10 |
| Geras | 7 |
| Geras | 6 |
| Jeras | 1 |
| Alladt | 6 |
| Alladt | 3 |
| Alheit | 2 |
| Allet | 1 |
| Gerhauß [2] | 5 |
| Gerhauß | 5 |
| Duretta | 4 |
| Duretta | 2 |
| Dorell | 1 |
| Durettea | 1 |
| Walpurg | 3 |
| Walpurg | 2 |
| Walburg | 1 |
| Appel | 2 |
| Appel | 1 |
| Appolonia | 1 |
| Guttel | 1 |
| Guttel | 1 |
| Madlen | 1 |
| Madlen | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Ottilg | 1 |
| Ottilg | 1 |
| Petternel | 1 |
| Petternel | 1 |
|
Notes:
[1] This is probably an abbreviation for Niclas.
[2] While gerhauß is generally a word meaning 'tannery, vestry', it appears to have been a rare feminine name in Bavaria in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Source:
Fleischmann, Peter, Reichssteuerregister von 1497 der Reichsstadt Nürnberg (und der Reichspflege Weissenburg), (Nürnberg: Gesellschaft für Familienforschung in Franken, 1993.)