Zellner
A German surname most likely meaning someone from a place called Zell, or a person associated with a cell or small settlement.
The #9,511 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 90,356 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Zellner is a German surname built from Zell, a very common place-name element in German-speaking regions. Zell itself usually comes from Latin cella, meaning a small chamber, hut, monastery cell, or a settlement that grew around one. The ending -ner is a common German surname suffix meaning a person from or connected with a place, so Zellner most likely means "someone from Zell" or "the person from the place called Zell."
History
Surnames of this type became hereditary in German-speaking areas during the late Middle Ages, especially to identify people by their hometown or village. Because there are many places named Zell in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the surname could arise independently in more than one area. German immigration later carried the name to North America, where it remains relatively uncommon.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
There are many towns and villages called Zell, which is one reason locational surnames like Zellner can appear in several unrelated family lines.