Surname Boneß - Meaning and Origin
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Boneß: What does the surname Boneß mean?
The last name Boneß is a German surname of uncertain origin. It is believed to derive from the Old High German word “buan”, meaning to be busy or diligent. This could suggest that the original bearer of the name was someone who was industrious and hardworking.
The name is commonly found throughout Germany, and is thought to have been in use since before the 1500s. In the early 2000s a study stated that it was among the 50 commonest surnames in the southwest German state of Bavaria.
The spelling of the name varies from region to region. Most commonly the ß symbol is replaced with a double s (Bones) or an ss (Boness). However, some regions, such as Austria, still favour the traditional spelling of the name.
The variants of the name, as well as its range of spelling, means that it is quite common to find people with the Boneß name across Europe.
Family crests, mottos and crests have been associated with the name throughout its history. The most common family crest for the name features the head of an eagle with three arrows in its beak, and a motto of “Nunquam otiosus” – never idle. This suggests that the underlying themes of diligence and industry have long been associated with the Boneß name and its associated families.
Order DNA origin analysisBoneß: Where does the name Boneß come from?
The last name Boneß is a relatively common surname in Germany today. It is often spelled Boness and is believed to be of German origin. The estimated population of those who carry this name is about 107,000, according to World Names Public Profiler estimates. The name is especially concentrated in the northwestern region of Germany, specifically in the states of Bavaria, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Lower Saxony. It is also seen in some parts of Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
People who have the last name Boneß can be found across Europe, the United States, and Canada. The earliest known record of someone with this surname was a Willem Boneß who was born in the Netherlands in 1641. Today, it is believed that the majority of people with this surname are descended from the original Willem Boneß.
Some famous people with the last name Boneß include German politician Arnold Boneß and German biologist Anna Boneß-Hirth. There are also some musicians, authors, and athletes with this name, most notably the drummer Rudi Boneß.
The popularity of last name Boneß tends to be concentrated in certain regions of Germany, but it can still be found scattered among different countries. Some Americans and Canadians may also have this surname due to their German ancestry.
Variations of the surname Boneß
Boneß is an old Germanic surname that began to be used in the Middle Ages. It has two variants: Bohns and Boneß. Both variants are derived from the same root and mean the same thing.
The surname has also been much spelled Bohn, Bohnes, Baunes, Bauns and Baunse. However, all these spellings may also refer to another German surname which is derived from a related but different root.
The surnames Boneß, Bohns and Bohn have all been largely retained in the German language world. It has been used as a surname in countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands. One relatively recent example of the surname in use is Thomas Bohns, who was born in 1895 in Marktscheffel, a small village in Germany’s Thuringia region.
In the English-speaking world, Boneß and Bohns are sometimes both anglicized to Bons or Bones. These are indexable words that appear in the University of Oxford’s Family Names of the United Kingdom database.
One other variant of the surname is Bonæs, which is a form that started to be used in the Scandinavian region. This spelling has been used to designate the surname of some people, such as Arnoldus Bonæs, who was a Danish writer and professor of mathematics from 1858 to 1915.
Overall, Boneß is an old surname that has since developed various variants, which despite sometimes bearing different spellings, have a common origin.
Famous people with the name Boneß
- Kevin Boney: American citizen and former civil servant
- Karl Boneß: Former Swiss footballer
- Maria Heights-Boney: American singer
- Ryan Boneß: Canadian Musician
- Anton Boneß: Est systems administrator
- Gunter Boneß: German music producer
- Rob Boneß: British interdisciplinary artist
- Wayne Boneß: American football player
- Hermann Boneß: German film director and cartographer
- Remi Boneß: French rugby union player