Eckstein
A German surname meaning “corner stone,” originally a topographic name or house-name for someone living by a stone corner or landmark.
The #7,211 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 66,713 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Eckstein is built from German Eck(e), meaning “corner” or “edge,” and Stein, meaning “stone.” Taken literally, it means “corner stone” or “stone at the corner.” In surname use, it most likely began as a topographic name or a house-name rather than a reference to the biblical “chief cornerstone.”
History
The name is found in German-speaking areas and spread widely through Central and Eastern Europe, including among Jewish families adopting or receiving Germanized surnames. Dutch sources also treat forms like Ekstein/Eckstein as related spellings. In the United States, Eckstein is established but not especially common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same two elements behind Eckstein also show up in many German place-names and compound surnames built around landscape features.
From the historical record
“Eckner 341. Ecko 135, 362. Eckstein 62, 346. * Eckwarden 503. de l'Ecluse 367. Ede 54.”
— Die Personennamen, insbesondere die Familiennamen