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MORGENSTERN Origin of surname

MORGENSTERN

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name derives from an artificial (or ornamental) name (a made-up name often in compound of two words).

Morgenstern means "morning star" in German. Jews in the Diaspora often transformed or translated Hebrew expressions to vernacular sounding names. This enabled them both to maintain their tradition, as well as to become part of their host society. Stern, literally "star" in German, is an element commonly used for creating artificial Jewish family names, i.e. names that do not refer to any feature of the first bearer of the family name, as a prefix (Sternberg) or a suffix (Loewenstern). The German Stern is recorded since the 17th century. The term Star and its equivalents, Astrum (Latin), Astruc (Provencal) and Etoile (French), have produced personal votive names, meaning "born under a good star", ranging from Bonus Astrux and Benestruc to Estelle (old French), Stella, and Mazal, and from Sternlieb to Sternau. In turn, they may have been the source of family names that were patronyms or matronyms. Another possible source of Stern as a family name may be found in the traditional house-signs in Frankfurt am Main and other German cities, many of which displayed stars. Another possible source as a topographical name is derived from the village of Sterniany in Russia, which produced surnames like Sternin, that were abbreviated to Stern.

In the 20th century, Morgenstern is recorded as a Jewish surname with the German soldier Julius Morgenstern, killed in action during the World War I, and with the Yugoslav soldiers Dezider and Simon Morgenstern, who were captured by the Germans in World War II. Distinguished bearers of the family name Morgenstern include the Austrian-American economist Oskar Morgenstern (1902-1977).

MORGENTHAU

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name derives from an artificial (or ornamental) name (a made-up name often in compound of two words).

Morgenthau means "morning dew" in German. Jews in the Diaspora often transformed or translated Hebrew expressions to vernacular sounding names. This enabled them both to maintain their tradition, as well as to become part of their host society. Stern, literally "star" in German, is an element commonly used for creating artificial Jewish family names, i.e. names that do not refer to any feature of the first bearer of the family name, as a prefix (Sternberg) or a suffix (Loewenstern). The German Stern is recorded since the 17th century. The term Star and its equivalents, Astrum (Latin), Astruc (Provencal) and Etoile (French), have produced personal votive names, meaning "born under a good star", ranging from Bonus Astrux and Benestruc to Estelle (old French), Stella, and Mazal, and from Sternlieb to Sternau. In turn, they may have been the source of family names that were patronyms or matronyms. Another possible source of Stern as a family name may be found in the traditional house-signs in Frankfurt am Main and other German cities, many of which displayed stars. Another possible source as a topographical name is derived from the village of Sterniany in Russia, which produced surnames like Sternin, that were abbreviated to Stern.

Morgenthau is documented as a Jewish family name with Dr. Otto Morgenthau, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, who died in 1973 aged 87.

Soma Morgenstern (1890-1976), novelist and journalist, born in Budaniv, Ukraine (then part of Austria-Hungary). He attended the University of Vienna. During World War I, he served in the Austro-Hungarian army. Drawn to the theater, Morgenstern was an assistant to Max Reinhardt and a drama critic. From 1928 to 1933 he was the cultural correspondent in Vienna for the Frankfurter Zeitung. In 1938 he fled to Paris and in 1941 escaped to the United States. Morgenstern was the author of novels and the subject of his trilogy, Sparks in the Abyss, is the vanished Jewish life in rural Eastern Europe. His The Third Pillar is set in the same milieu in the Holocaust period.

Oskar Morgenstern (1902-1977), economist, born in Gorlitz, Germany. He taught at the University of Vienna from 1928 to 1938 and directed the Austrian Institute of Business Cycle Research from 1931 to 1938. When the Germans took over Austria in 1938 he moved to the United States, taught at Princeton University (full professor 1944), and from 1948 directed its econometric research program. From 1955 to 1957, he was advisor to the US Atomic Energy Commission and in 1959-1960 was White House advisor on atomic energy matters. Morgenstern published many books, his main fields of expertise being econometrics and business cycles.

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MORGENSTERN Origin of surname
MORGENSTERN

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name derives from an artificial (or ornamental) name (a made-up name often in compound of two words).

Morgenstern means "morning star" in German. Jews in the Diaspora often transformed or translated Hebrew expressions to vernacular sounding names. This enabled them both to maintain their tradition, as well as to become part of their host society. Stern, literally "star" in German, is an element commonly used for creating artificial Jewish family names, i.e. names that do not refer to any feature of the first bearer of the family name, as a prefix (Sternberg) or a suffix (Loewenstern). The German Stern is recorded since the 17th century. The term Star and its equivalents, Astrum (Latin), Astruc (Provencal) and Etoile (French), have produced personal votive names, meaning "born under a good star", ranging from Bonus Astrux and Benestruc to Estelle (old French), Stella, and Mazal, and from Sternlieb to Sternau. In turn, they may have been the source of family names that were patronyms or matronyms. Another possible source of Stern as a family name may be found in the traditional house-signs in Frankfurt am Main and other German cities, many of which displayed stars. Another possible source as a topographical name is derived from the village of Sterniany in Russia, which produced surnames like Sternin, that were abbreviated to Stern.

In the 20th century, Morgenstern is recorded as a Jewish surname with the German soldier Julius Morgenstern, killed in action during the World War I, and with the Yugoslav soldiers Dezider and Simon Morgenstern, who were captured by the Germans in World War II. Distinguished bearers of the family name Morgenstern include the Austrian-American economist Oskar Morgenstern (1902-1977).
Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People
MORGENTHAU

MORGENTHAU

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name derives from an artificial (or ornamental) name (a made-up name often in compound of two words).

Morgenthau means "morning dew" in German. Jews in the Diaspora often transformed or translated Hebrew expressions to vernacular sounding names. This enabled them both to maintain their tradition, as well as to become part of their host society. Stern, literally "star" in German, is an element commonly used for creating artificial Jewish family names, i.e. names that do not refer to any feature of the first bearer of the family name, as a prefix (Sternberg) or a suffix (Loewenstern). The German Stern is recorded since the 17th century. The term Star and its equivalents, Astrum (Latin), Astruc (Provencal) and Etoile (French), have produced personal votive names, meaning "born under a good star", ranging from Bonus Astrux and Benestruc to Estelle (old French), Stella, and Mazal, and from Sternlieb to Sternau. In turn, they may have been the source of family names that were patronyms or matronyms. Another possible source of Stern as a family name may be found in the traditional house-signs in Frankfurt am Main and other German cities, many of which displayed stars. Another possible source as a topographical name is derived from the village of Sterniany in Russia, which produced surnames like Sternin, that were abbreviated to Stern.

Morgenthau is documented as a Jewish family name with Dr. Otto Morgenthau, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, who died in 1973 aged 87.

Soma Morgenstern

Soma Morgenstern (1890-1976), novelist and journalist, born in Budaniv, Ukraine (then part of Austria-Hungary). He attended the University of Vienna. During World War I, he served in the Austro-Hungarian army. Drawn to the theater, Morgenstern was an assistant to Max Reinhardt and a drama critic. From 1928 to 1933 he was the cultural correspondent in Vienna for the Frankfurter Zeitung. In 1938 he fled to Paris and in 1941 escaped to the United States. Morgenstern was the author of novels and the subject of his trilogy, Sparks in the Abyss, is the vanished Jewish life in rural Eastern Europe. His The Third Pillar is set in the same milieu in the Holocaust period.

Oskar Morgenstern

Oskar Morgenstern (1902-1977), economist, born in Gorlitz, Germany. He taught at the University of Vienna from 1928 to 1938 and directed the Austrian Institute of Business Cycle Research from 1931 to 1938. When the Germans took over Austria in 1938 he moved to the United States, taught at Princeton University (full professor 1944), and from 1948 directed its econometric research program. From 1955 to 1957, he was advisor to the US Atomic Energy Commission and in 1959-1960 was White House advisor on atomic energy matters. Morgenstern published many books, his main fields of expertise being econometrics and business cycles.