Endres
A German surname usually understood as a form of Andreas, i.e. “son or descendant of Andrew.”
The #6,562 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,800 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Endres is generally treated as a German short form or regional variant of Andreas, the German form of Andrew. The underlying name comes from Greek Andreas, meaning “manly” or “brave.” In some older scholarship, however, the surname is left a little open: a few writers note that not every Endres must necessarily go back to Andreas, because similar-looking forms could sometimes arise from other old German words or nicknames.
History
The name is well attested in German-speaking areas, especially in southern and central regions, and appears in older surname lists and studies from the 19th century. Modern records show it surviving as a relatively uncommon but established German surname, with emigrant branches carried into the United States and elsewhere. Historical writers also recorded related spellings such as Enders and Endress, reflecting local pronunciation and spelling variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century scholar specifically remarked that the common surname Endres was often explained as Andreas, but that the derivation was not absolutely certain in every case.
From the historical record
“angeführt: Heneke mit dem dumen 1373 Braunschw., Liebhard mit der Hand 1383 Augsb., 2ixich Fridericus Mittemmunde 1190; bei Trötscher (Die ältesten Egerer FN.) : Chunrat mit der pruat, Endres mit dem part — Zusätze, die doch wohl so zu verstehen sind, daß die genannten Körperteile wegen irgend einer…”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen