Steinman
A German surname meaning “stone man,” likely first used for someone associated with stone-working or a rocky place.
The #7,988 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 74,594 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Steinman is built from German Stein, meaning “stone,” and Mann, meaning “man.” In surname use, it was probably a descriptive label for someone connected with stone—such as a mason, quarryman, or someone living near a stony feature—rather than a literal “man of stone.” The form may also reflect older German spelling habits in which vowel and consonant patterns varied from region to region.
History
The name is documented in Switzerland at St. Gall several centuries ago, and 19th-century writers noted that the family had long-standing roots there. English-language genealogical notices also mention an English branch descending from a family member who came to England in 1771. The surname is found in German-speaking and Swiss contexts and later appears in Anglophone countries through migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 19th-century writer glossed Steinman simply as German for “stone-man,” which is close to the surname’s plain literal sense.
From the historical record
“be a diminutive of stag." STEINMAN. This family existed at St. Gall, in Switzerland, more than four centu- ries ago as " Steinman, called Biugasser." The first settler in England was the great- grandfather of Mr. G. S. Steinman (a name well recognized in our antiquarian litera- ture), who with his sou came to…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Steinman
- Ralph M. Steinman (1943–2011)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.