Unger
A surname that can mean either “Hungarian” or “the younger,” depending on its local origins.
The #2,449 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 20,949 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Unger is most often explained in Germanic naming as an ethnic or regional surname, originally meaning “Hungarian” or “someone from Hungary.” In older German usage, forms related to Ungar/Ungehr referred to a Hungarian person, and this kind of label could become a hereditary surname. Some historical writers also connected similar forms with a nickname sense linked to “the younger,” but that explanation is less secure and is usually treated as secondary or speculative.
History
The name is well attested in German-speaking areas and is also found in Jewish and Central European surname traditions. English and American bearers often descend from German immigrants, which fits the surname’s strongest historical association. Nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century surname writers frequently grouped Unger with other “ethnic” names such as Böhm, Bayer, and Frank.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older onomastic writing, Unger was commonly listed alongside surnames like Böhm and Frank as a name that pointed to a person’s origin rather than occupation.
From the historical record
“Ong. N Ungi (?) (the younger) ; F Onke, dimin. of Onno ; G. Unger; F. Ongers; p.n. Or Ongar ; a loc. n., Ess. Ongley. See Onley O’Niell. See Neale Onions. From Angiens (?) ; a loc.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)