Sohn
A German surname meaning simply “son,” often used in Jewish and German naming traditions.
The #6,985 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 64,376 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sohn is the ordinary German word for “son,” and the surname developed directly from that noun. The historical forms shown in the sources connect it with Middle High German sun and Old High German sunu, all meaning “son.” In surname use, it functions as a patronymic, marking descent rather than describing an occupation or place.
History
The sources note that German -sohn forms, including names like Mendelssohn and Davidsohn, are especially common in later German and Jewish surname formation. In practice, Sohn may stand alone as a surname or appear as the second element in longer patronymics. Comparable “son” surnames also exist across other Germanic languages, such as English Son, Dutch zoon, and related forms.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root appears across Germanic languages: German Sohn, Dutch zoon, and English son all go back to a common older word for “son.”
From the historical record
“berg), hill] SOHN (Ger.) Son [Ger. sohn, M.H.Grer. sun, O.H.Ger. sun{u'\ SONNENSCHEIN (Ger.) Sunshine (nick- name) [f. Ger. Sonne, M.H.Ger. sunne, O.H.Ger. sunna, sun -|- Ger. schein, m., M.H.Ger. schin, O.H.Ger. scin, sliine] SPERLING (Ger.) Sparrow [Ger. Sperling, {. M.H.Ger. spar, O.H.Ger. sparo, sparrow”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)