Stern
A surname with several independent origins, most commonly from German and English words meaning “star” or “stern, severe.”
The #1,418 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 12,313 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Stern has more than one likely source. In English, it can come from Middle English and Old English words meaning “stern,” “strict,” or “severe,” used as a nickname for a serious person. In German, Stern is the ordinary word for “star,” and it was also used as a nickname or sign-name. Some records also point to Scandinavian influence through words for “star,” so the surname may have arisen independently in different places.
History
The name appears in English records as an inherited surname, and it also became common in German-speaking communities. Because the same spelling fits both a descriptive English nickname and a German “star” name, many bearers are not related to one another. In some cases, the surname may have been strengthened or altered by immigration from German-speaking regions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In German, Stern literally means “star,” which makes it one of the more transparent surnames to speakers of that language.
From the historical record
“(Celt.) for^tirling. q.v. / STERN 1 (Eng.) Austere, Severe [M.E. STERNE / Sterne, O.E. stieme, styme'\ Henry Sterne. — Hund. Rolls. (Sc^nd.) Star (a sign-name) [Dan.- Norw. stieme, O.N. stiarna, a star] But the name in our directories is fre- quently the Ger. Stem = Star. STERNS, Stern's (Son).”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)