Recorded in many spellings including von Salzberg, Salzburg, Saltzberg, Saltzburg, Saltzberger, Salzberger, Salzen, Saltzen, and the American shortened versions of Salsberg and Salerg, this is a German locational surname. It originates either from the famous city of Saltzburg, or from one of the several minor places of the same or similar spellings found throughout Germany and Austria. The name means the marsh or swampy area (sal), with suffix which include -burg meaning by the mountain, a fairly common description when people sought high ground to live, or -en, a form of -ing, meaning 'the people of'. The importance ascribed to the name is shown by the aristocratic and noble Counts of Salzberg, the hereditary title dating back to the 14th century. Locational surnames of this type were given originally to the lords of manor, and later to people who left the area and moved elsewhere. The easiest method of identification being to call a person by the name of the place from whence they came. Recording of names being at best problematical lead to the development of different spellings, some far removed from the original form. Early examples of the surname recording include Sippen Salzerberg of Quedlinburg, Germany, in 1582, Anna Catarina Salberg of Luttringhausen, Rheinland, in 1697, and Sieppen Saltzen of Quedlinburg, in 1582. The earliest recording in any spelling may be that of Hans van Salzburger of Salzburg, in the charters of that city in the year 1382.

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