Surname Arzt - Meaning and Origin
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Arzt: What does the surname Arzt mean?
The last name Arzt is a German and Jewish name with multiple meanings. It tends to originate from the Middle High German expression ‘arzt’ which means ‘doctor’. This suggests that the bearers of the name may have had ancestors who were physicians. The name may also have begun as a professional name, referring to someone who supplied medicine or worked as a surgeon.
The name could also be derived from the German word ‘ertz’, which means ‘miner’. This suggests that the ancestors of the Arzt family would have been gold or silver miners. The spelling of the name, however, suggests that it more likely originates from the medical profession.
The meaning behind the name may also be linked to the Jewish heritage in which the name originates from. Ashkenazi Jews adopted names that indicated a profession and the surname Arzt may have been a way of identifying Jewish doctors of that time.
In more contemporary times, the Arzt surname is not as common and is used more as a family name rather than an indication of a profession.
Order DNA origin analysisArzt: Where does the name Arzt come from?
The last name Arzt is most commonly seen in Germany and the German-speaking region. It is a relatively common surname, ranking as the 845th most popular surname in Germany in 2019. It is particularly prevalent in the southern German state of Bavaria, and is widely found across the entire German-speaking world; it can be found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as among German-language communities worldwide, such as the Mennonites of Ukraine and the United States.
The origin of the name Arzt is from a German occupational name, coming from the Middle High German "arzite,” which can be translated as “physician.” This indicates that it was likely created by people in the medical profession, who adopted it as their surname in the 15th century when it became more common for people to take on a last name that indicated their profession.
Today, variations of the name Arzt still remain in use. Common forms include Arzt, Aarts, Arz, Aartsz, Artz, Aartszt and others. Many of the people with this name also have professions involving medicine and health care, such as a physician, nurse practitioner, or doctor. However, the name is now also common in other fields, such as teaching. There are many famous people with the surname Arzt, such as German opera singer Emma Arzt and German painter Marianne Arzt.
Variations of the surname Arzt
The surname Arzt is a common German-language occupational surname, derived from the German word for “doctor” or “physician”. Variants of this surname include: Arz, Arts, Artz, Arzwetter, Arzteis, Aertz, Ertz, Hertz, and Hertzen. It is also seen spelled in the archaic German spellings of Erz and Ertz.
Besides the original German origin, some other variant spellings also exist based on the surname Arzt from Eastern European countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Slovenia. In these languages, the surname is found spelled as Ārtz, Orz, Artze, Arč, Orč, and Orčić.
Arzt is also known by other distinct surnames, such as parts of longer, two-part surnames originating in Germany from the early twentieth-century, such as Arzt-Berg, Arzt-Bruckner, Arzt-Keller, Arzt-Klein, Arzt-Linder, Arzt-Meisner, Arzt-Schmitz, Arzt-Wagner or Arzt-Weil.
In addition to the above-mentioned spellings and surnames of Arzt, various anglicized versions exist for those with this surname. For individuals with German ancestry, spelling variations can include Art, Ohrt, Orts, Ortz, Ortze, and Oertz, while those with Eastern European backgrounds may be found spelled as Arts, Orts, or Artsz. Lastly, those of Russian and Ukrainian heritage may spell the surname Arzt as Arts, Yarts, Yartsa, Yartz, Yartsai, Yartz, Yartsay, and Yartsayev.
Famous people with the name Arzt
- Esther Arzt: German sculptor, best known for her women's suffrage statues in Berlin
- Laura Arzt: German actress
- David Arzt: German musical theatre performer and musical director
- Kevin Arzt: German voice actor
- Helmut Arzt: Austrian historian
- Bernhard Arzt: German plant scientist and botanist
- Julian Arzt: German painter and graphic artist
- Thomas Arzt: German theatre director
- Theo Arzt: German playwright and Enlightenment philosopher
- Monika Arzt: German singer-songwriter