Surname Sznayder - Meaning and Origin
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Sznayder: What does the surname Sznayder mean?
The last name Sznayder is a Polish-Jewish surname of toponymic origin. The name is derived from the village of Szynwałd in south-eastern Poland, which is located near Przemysl. It is assumed that the original bearer of the name had formerly lived there or was born in the vicinity.
Sznayder is a Yiddish-derived name, derived most likely from the Ukrainian or Belarusian szyn or szin, which has the meaning of ‘fortress’ or ‘watchtower’. It is likely that the village's name derives from the first owner of the settlement, known as Szynwałd, or the Szinwałd family.
The Sznayder surname is very uncommon in modern day, although it is estimated that approximately 40,000 namesakes exist in the United States. Most people with this surname today are likely to be descended from early Polish-Jewish immigrants, who first began arriving in the country in the early 1900s from the former region of Galicia.
Over the centuries, the name has slowly declined in frequency and usage, largely due to emigration and assimilation into other communities. As a result, the Sznayder surname has mostly disappeared from current-day Poland, and has now become a predominantly ‘American’ surname.
Order DNA origin analysisSznayder: Where does the name Sznayder come from?
The last name Sznayder is a common Jewish surname originating from the Ashkenazi Jewish culture. Today, it can be found in countries across the world, though primarily in those with sizable Jewish populations, such as the United States, Israel, and Germany.
In the United States, the last name can most prolifically be found in New York and California. In 2020, Sznayder was the 1094th most common last name nationwide, with the highest concentration of people with this surname living in New York City.
In Israel, Sznayder is the 49th most popular last name in the country. The surname is thought to originate from the word “zan”, meaning “talented” in Hebrew, and is especially common in Jerusalem, Haifa and Be'er Sheva.
In Germany, the surname is more uncommon, ranking 7404th in 2020. However, Sznayder here is thought to be derived from the German word "Schnieder", meaning "tailor". The name is still more common in the northern states, with the highest concentrations of the name in Berlin and Bremen.
Overall, the last name Sznayder is a unique Jewish surname with many variations, from Spanish and German to Hebrew and English. Though the number of people with the name is relatively small, it is a widespread and powerful surname found primarily in countries with large Jewish populations.
Variations of the surname Sznayder
The surname Sznayder is a common Jewish Ashkenazi name. It is also seen as Schneider, Schneiderman or Snyder. It is derived from the Yiddish word “shneider” which means “tailor” or “cutter.” The name is thought to have originated in Germany and its variants can be seen throughout the world.
The Polish and Ukrainian version of the name Sznayder is Sznejder. This variant is a transliteration of the original Yiddish. In this language, “s” is often used interchangeably with “sh”. The “y” in Sznayder is also transliterated as “e”, which explains the spelling variation.
The Russian version of Sznayder is Shneyder. This is due to the fact that Russians have a tendency to replace the “z” sound with a “sh” sound. The “y” in Sznayder is also written as “e”, which explains the spelling variation for this language.
The Hungarian variant of Sznayder is Szneider. This spelling variation is the result of the Hungarian language’s tendency to replace the “z” sound with a “s”. In some cases, the “y” in the name is also written as a “e”.
The surname Sznayder is also seen in North America as Schneider, Schnayder, and Snyder. This is due to the immigration of the Jewish people from Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. As a result, the spelling of the name has been adapted into various languages, producing numerous variants.
Famous people with the name Sznayder
- Dov Sznayder: American Actor, most well-known for appearing in projects such as the 2018 Iraqi war drama The Long Road Home.
- Margaret Sznayder: American attorney and Democratic Party politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1997 to 1999.
- Jackie Sznayder: former American professional tennis player best known for her appearance in the 1990 US Open.
- Mark Sznayder: American entrepreneur and CEO of several companies, including RJ Technology Solutions.
- Carolyn Sznayder: American professor of early childhood education and author of several books and articles on the subject.
- Nathan Sznayder: Jewish singer, songwriter, and composer best known for his work with Chassidic pop-icon Beri Weber.
- Mac Sznayder: American folk and blues musician best known for creating the Baltimore scenes “Interactive House Concerts” in the late 1990s.
- Levi Sznayder: American artist specializing in abstract paintings and mosaics, best known as one of the few Jewish abstract artists who flourished in the early 20th century.
- Miriam Sznayder: American photographer who rose to prominence in the 1930s for her documentary-style photobooks exploring the lives of people in poverty.
- Ellen Sznayder: American computer scientist and entrepreneur best known for her development of a facial recognition software used by police departments across the United States.