Staub
A German surname from the word for “dust,” likely first used as a nickname or descriptive byname.
The #6,739 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 61,700 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Staub is the German word for “dust.” As a surname, it most likely began as a descriptive nickname, perhaps for someone dusty, earthy, or associated with a dusty place or trade. Some older writers also linked it to shorter forms of related names such as Straub, but the simplest and most likely explanation is the direct German word.
History
The name is found in German-speaking areas and later appears in North American records through immigration. Older surname writers sometimes offered fanciful or conflicting explanations, so the etymology has not always been treated consistently. In modern usage it survives chiefly as a German and German-American family name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In German, the phrase sich aus dem Staub machen means “to make off” or “disappear,” literally “to make oneself out of the dust.”
From the historical record
“che. Les autres en dérivent. Staub. i» Poussière (AUem.); H" abr. de Straub. Steen. l» Etienne (Angl.); 2" château fort (flam.).”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)