mann

Mann is a German surname of origin meaning “man” or “male person.” It derives from the Middle High German word man, which itself comes from the older Germanic roots for a person or adult. Surnames formed from common nouns often originated as nicknames, descriptors for a household head, or identifiers of occupation or status, and Mann is one of the more widespread German surnames. The name is found throughout German-speaking countries and among people of German descent, including in other parts of Europe and the Americas. Variants and related forms can appear in different languages or regions.

Notable bearers include Thomas Mann (1875–1955), a German novelist and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, and his brother Heinrich Mann (1871–1950), also a novelist. Katia Mann (the wife of Thomas Mann) is another well-known figure associated with the surname. The Mann surname has been carried by many others in academia, the arts, and public life, reflecting its broad distribution among German-speaking populations.

Beyond its use as a surname, Mann is also the German word for “man,” used in everyday speech and in many compound terms such as Mannschaft (team). The word is cognate with the English “man” and has counterparts in other Germanic languages. As a surname, Mann remains a common and recognizable identifier in German and international contexts.