Steiner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The long and noble heritage behind the name of Steiner first began in medieval Austria. While the patronymic and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the name of the father and mother respectively, are the most common form of a hereditary surname in Germany, occupational surnames also emerged during the late Middle Ages. Many people, such as the Steiner family, adopted the name of their occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Steiner literally means "stone" 1 and was an occupational name for a stone cutter. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word stein, meaning stone. In some cases the name may be topographical in nature and derive from the fact the original bearer lived near a prominent stone or rock.

Early Origins of the Steiner family

The surname Steiner was first found in Austria, in the cities of Berne and Neuchatel, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in regional political struggles for power. They branched into many houses in Austria, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Steiner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Steiner research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1796, 1809, 1810, 1820, 1838, 1863 and 1935 are included under the topic Early Steiner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Steiner Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Steiner include Steiner, Steinert, Steinertz, Steinerth, Steinere, Stein, Steine and many more.

Early Notables of the Steiner family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Steiner were

Jacob Steiner (1796-1863), who was a Swiss mathematician, and one of the great developers of geometry...
Kilian von Steiner (1838-1935) was a prominent banker who founded the Schiller Society and the National Schiller Museum...

Steiner Ranking

In the United States, the name Steiner is the 1,740^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Steiner is ranked the 2,344^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,756 people with that name. 3

Steiner migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Steiner were

Steiner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Michel Steiner, who immigrated to America in 1709
Jorg Steiner, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Michel Steiner, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Christian Steiner, who settled in Lancaster in 1719
Simon Steiner, (1698-1740), who arrived in Georgia in 1734 aboard the ship "Prince of Wales"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Steiner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Steiner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 4
John Steiner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 4
Miss Mary C. Steiner, aged 26, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Dyle Soomes"
Mr. Georg Steiner, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York"
Adam Steiner, who landed in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York" 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Steiner migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Steiner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Blanche D. Steiner, (b. 1836), aged 21, Cornish housekeeper departing from Plymouth on 5th June 1857 aboard the ship "Undaunted" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 20th August 1857 5
Miss Margaret Ann Steiner, (b. 1853), aged 4, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 5th June 1857 aboard the ship "Undaunted" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 20th August 1857 5
Mr. Stephen B. Steiner, (b. 1855), aged 2, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 5th June 1857 aboard the ship "Undaunted" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 20th August 1857 5
Mr. James Steiner, (b. 1857), aged Infant, Cornish settler departing from Plymouth on 5th June 1857 aboard the ship "Undaunted" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 20th August 1857 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Steiner (post 1700) +

Lisl Steiner (1927-2023), Austrian-born American photographer, photojournalist, and documentary filmmaker, known for her photographs of political and cultural figures of the 1950s and 60s, including Fidel Castro, Oscar Niemeyer, Louis Armstrong, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Richard Nixon, and Henri Cartier-Bresson
Donald F. Steiner (1930-2014), American biochemist awarded the 1984/85 Wolf Prize in Medicine
Francis George Steiner FBA (1929-2020), Franco-American literary critic, essayist, philosopher, novelist, and educator
Ralph Steiner (1899-1986), American photographer
Herman Steiner (1905-1955), American chess champion
Gitta Steiner (1932-1990), American composer
Claude Steiner (b. 1935), American clinical psychologist
Henry L. Steiner, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Erie County 4th District, 1896-97 6
George Steiner, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 18th District, 1920 6
Frank O. Steiner, American politician, Mayor of Hazelwood, Missouri, 1965 6
... (Another 21 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html