Lehner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Lehner

What does the name Lehner mean?

The surname Lehner is derived from the Middle and High German word lechenäre which means the holder of a Lehnbauernhofs or farmhouses, from the German words fief or lehn. The name is Upper German, or in German Oberdeutsch. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been a Jewish name. In this case, the name was an occupational name for a banker, pawnbroker or usurer, and was sometimes adopted as an equivalent of the name Levi.

Early Origins of the Lehner family

The surname Lehner was first found in Southern Germany, northern and central Switzerland and Austria. 1 Branches of the family were later found in Schiedam in the Netherlands, Tyrol in Austria and Ratisbona, Germany.

Early History of the Lehner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lehner research. The years 1553 and 1606 are included under the topic Early Lehner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lehner Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Lehner include Lenher, Lechner, Lecner, Lohner and others.

Early Notables of the Lehner family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Lehner were Leonhard (Leonard) Lechner (c. 1553-1606), a German composer, kapellmeister, tenor and music editor who was taught by Orlando de...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lehner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lehner Ranking

In the United States, the name Lehner is the 12,386^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Lehner migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Lehner were

Lehner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Georg Lehner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 3
Geo Balthas Lehner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 3
Georg Lehner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1764 3

Lehner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Wolfgang Lehner, who arrived in Cincinnati, Oh in 1848 3
Erhardt Lehner, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 3
Stephan Lehner, who arrived in Albany, NY in 1855 3
Anton Lehner, aged 2, who arrived in New York in 1858 3
Johann Lehner, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1858 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lehner (post 1700) +

Virginia Lehner, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1980
Peggy Lehner, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 2008
Mary B. Lehner, American politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County 6th District, 1926
Mark Alan Lehner, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980
John Lehner, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for burgess of Brentwood, Pennsylvania, 1933
Edward H. Lehner, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly 73rd District, 1973-80
Brigadier-General Charles Royal Lehner (1893-1979), American Quartermaster-General 6th Army, Philippines (1943-1949) 4
Christine Lehner (b. 1952), American novelist and short story writer
Peter Lehner (b. 1958), American lawyer and environmentalist
Peggy Lehner, American member of the Ohio Senate
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) Charles Lehner. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lehner/Charles_Royal/USA.html