From Wikipedia - Reading time: 2 min
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Word/name | German |
| Region of origin | Germany |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Zepelin, Zeppelin (without von) |
The surname Zeppelin first appeared in a German document dated September 1286, indicating an origin in the town of Zepelin, which is now a municipality in the district of Rostock, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
In the Middle Ages, to be called von Zeppelin could mean simply "from Zeppelin". However, in later centuries the word "von" was added only as a nobiliary particle, indicating an ancestor who had been ennobled.
Zeppelin, originally a Slavic village spelled Cepelin [tsepelin], is named after the Cep, an ancient Slavic agricultural tool
