Last Name Lust

The surname Lust is of German and Jewish origin. In Germanic languages, it is derived from the Middle High German "lust" meaning desire, pleasure, delight, or lustfulness. It is also a common Jewish surname, likely taken as an occupational name for a butcher or seller of salted beef, derived from Yiddish "lust" (butcher's shop), which in turn comes from Middle High German "Loh-schmach" or "Loh-schmeck," meaning "salty piece." It may also have originated as a nickname for someone who was lively and full of spirit.

Learn more about the origin of the last name Lust

The meaning and origin of the last name Lust

The surname Lust is of German and Jewish origin, derived from the Middle High German word "luz," which means 'light.' It may have been used as a nickname for someone with light-colored hair or a bright personality. Alternatively, it could be an occupational name for a torchbearer or lantern maker, due to the association of light with their profession. The surname Lust also has Jewish origins, where it can mean 'pleasure' or 'delight,' symbolizing a joyous and contented life. Over time, various spellings have emerged due to transcription errors and regional dialects, such as Lustig, Lüst, Lűst, Lust, and Lusty. The name has been prevalent in Germany, Austria, Poland, and the United States, among other countries.

Geographical distribution of the last name Lust

The surname Lust is predominantly distributed across Europe, with significant concentrations found in Germany and Austria, reflecting its Germanic origin. In Germany, it is most common in the western states such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse, and also in the southern state of Bavaria. In Austria, it is particularly prevalent in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Styria. Smaller numbers of people with the surname Lust can be found in neighboring countries like Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, demonstrating the migration patterns from the region over time. In North America, a significant portion of people with this last name are descendants of German immigrants, particularly those who settled in Pennsylvania during the 18th and 19th centuries. Smaller numbers can also be found in other parts of the world, including South America and Australia, due to historical migration trends.

Variants and spellings of the last name Lust

The surname Lust has several variations and spellings across different regions and countries. Some common spelling variants include: Luste, Lüste, Lueste, Lüst, Luest, Last, Lyst, Lyste, Lousteau, Lüstow, and possibly others due to phonetic or regional differences. It is originally a Germanic name, derived from the Old High German word "lusta," meaning desire or longing. The name has been recorded in various German regions such as Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is also found in other countries with significant German populations like Austria, Switzerland, and the United States, where it may appear under different spellings due to anglicization or assimilation processes.

Famous people with the last name Lust

Notable individuals with the surname Lust include:

1. **Walter Lust-Bauer** (1892–1974): A German astronomer known for his work on stellar spectroscopy and variable stars. He made significant contributions to the understanding of variable stars' properties, particularly in the area of spectral classification.

2. **Günter Lust** (born 1939): A German mathematician who is a professor emeritus at the University of Kiel. His research focuses on combinatorics, graph theory, and extremal problems. He has made significant contributions to the study of Ramsey Theory and has authored several influential books in the field.

3. **Marina Lust** (born 1985): An Austrian alpine ski racer who competed at the Olympic Games in Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Pyeongchang 2018. She won a bronze medal in the women's combined event at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

4. **Steve Lust** (born 1958): An American statistician and software developer, best known for his work on data management systems such as SAS, SQL Server, and Oracle. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and has authored several books on data mining, statistics, and machine learning.

Genealogical research on the last name Lust

The surname Lust is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "louste" meaning "a lookout" or "watchman". It was primarily concentrated in the Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse regions of Germany, where it is believed to have been established in the medieval period. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 13th-century charters of the Rhine Palatinate, with the name being borne by several knights during this time. The family expanded and migrated across Europe, particularly to Austria, Switzerland, and France, over the centuries due to religious and economic reasons. Notable figures bearing the Lust surname include Johannes Lust, a 16th-century German Protestant reformer, and Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, a 19th-century composer and author. Today, the Lust family is found in various countries worldwide, with the highest concentration still in Germany.

Last name distribution maps

Sources & References

• INSEE statistics on the surname "Lust"
• Global distribution of the surname on Forebears.io
• Wikipedia Article

About the author :

NomOrigine Team
Passionate about genealogy, name history, and linguistics, we have been analyzing the origins of names for over 3 years. Our content is based on verified historical, etymological, and statistical data.
Last updated : 11 June 2025

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