SAENGER Origin of surname
SAENGER
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 Jewish communal functionaries or titles. Saenger/Singer is the German and Yiddish equivalent of the Hebrew Meshorer. It spotlights the musical role of the Cantor/Hazan, and Bass describes the vocal quality of the singer. All these and similar terms have produced Jewish family names in several languages and spelling variants. One of the earliest documented forms is San(c)kmeister (from the German Singmeister, that is "song master"), recorded with Lezer Sankmeister in 1439 and Heinrich Sanckmeister in 1449. The Italian equivalent Cantarini was the name of a well-known 16th century Italian family. Cantori is mentioned in the 16th century, Isaak Ben Avigdor Bass in 1600, and Singer in 1676. Cantor is documented as a Jewish family name in 1679, Senger in 1683, Bassista in the 17th century, Schulsinger in 1709, Sulsinger in 1724, Kanter in 1736, and Vorsinger in 1784. Slavic equivalents include Solovej (literally "nightingale") and Spivak. A Romanian form is Dascal(u), literally "sexton".
Distinguished bearers of the Jewish family name Saenger include the German gynecologist and obstetrician Max Saenger (1853-1903); the 19th/20th century Lithuanian-born German diplomat and literary historian Samuel Saenger; and the 20th century German-born South African businessman Hans Saenger.
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 Jewish communal functionaries or titles. Saenger/Singer is the German and Yiddish equivalent of the Hebrew Meshorer. It spotlights the musical role of the Cantor/Hazan, and Bass describes the vocal quality of the singer. All these and similar terms have produced Jewish family names in several languages and spelling variants. One of the earliest documented forms is San(c)kmeister (from the German Singmeister, that is "song master"), recorded with Lezer Sankmeister in 1439 and Heinrich Sanckmeister in 1449. The Italian equivalent Cantarini was the name of a well-known 16th century Italian family. Cantori is mentioned in the 16th century, Isaak Ben Avigdor Bass in 1600, and Singer in 1676. Cantor is documented as a Jewish family name in 1679, Senger in 1683, Bassista in the 17th century, Schulsinger in 1709, Sulsinger in 1724, Kanter in 1736, and Vorsinger in 1784. Slavic equivalents include Solovej (literally "nightingale") and Spivak. A Romanian form is Dascal(u), literally "sexton".
Distinguished bearers of the Jewish family name Saenger include the German gynecologist and obstetrician Max Saenger (1853-1903); the 19th/20th century Lithuanian-born German diplomat and literary historian Samuel Saenger; and the 20th century German-born South African businessman Hans Saenger.