EISENHOWER Surname Meaning and Origin

The surname Eisenhower is a common Americanized spelling of the German occupational surname Eisenhauer meaning "iron cutter or iron worker." Eisenhauer derives from the Middle High German isen, meaning "iron" and houwære, a derivative of houwen, meaning "to cut, chop, or hew." The surname is similar in meaning to Smith, Schmidt, and other surnames that mean "blacksmith."

Alternate Surname Spellings: EISENHAUER, ISENHOUR, ISENHAUER, ICENHOUR, IZENOUR

Surname Origin: German

Where in the World is Eisenhower Found?

The Eisenhower surname is found most prevalently in the United States, with an especially strong presence in the state of Pennsylvania. A few occurrences of the surname also appear in Canada (specifically the Peel region of southwest Ontario), Germany (Berlin and Bayern) and England (specifically Worcestershire).

The Eisenhower spelling of the surname is not very prevalent in Germany, found only in Berlin (according to surname distribution maps). The German Eisenhauer spelling, however, is found in 166 localities throughout Germany, most prevalently in Bergstraße, Odenwaldkreis, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, and Aurich. 

Famous People with the Eisenhower Surname

• Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower - 34th President of the United States

Genealogy Resources for the Surname EISENHOWER:

Uncover the meaning of your German last name with meanings and origins of common German surnames.

View a family tree of the ancestors of former US president Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as those of his mother, Ida Elizabeth Stover. Biographical information on Dwight and his brothers is also available.

Search a genealogy forum for the Eisenhower surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Eisenhower surname query. Also see Eisenhauer.

Sources

Cottle, Basil. "The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames." Penguin Reference Books, Paperback, 2nd edition, Puffin, August 7, 1984.

Dorward, David. "Scottish Surnames." Collins Pocket Reference, Poc Edition, Collins Celtic, November 1, 1998.

"Eisenhauer." Genealogy, September 29, 2014.

"Eisenhower." Genealogy, August 14, 2008. 

"Eisenhower Ancestry." Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home, National Archives, July 25, 2019.

Fucilla, Joseph Guerin. "Our Italian Surnames." Genealogical Publishing Company, January 1, 1998.

Hanks, Patrick. "A Dictionary of Surnames." Flavia Hodges, Oxford University Press, February 23, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. "Dictionary of American Family Names." 1st Edition, Oxford University Press, May 8, 2003.

Reaney, Percy H. "A Dictionary of English Surnames." Oxford Paperback Reference S, Oxford University Press, January 1, 2005.

Smith, Elsdon Coles. "American Surnames." 1st Edition, Chilton Book Co, June 1, 1969.

https://www.thoughtco.com/surname-meanings-and-origins-s2-1422408