Surname Bonhold - Meaning and Origin
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Bonhold: What does the surname Bonhold mean?
The last name Bonhold is of German origin. It is derived from the Old German words “bon” meaning “good” and “hold” meaning a “stand” or “position”. This name likely denoted someone who held a good position of authority, most likely a gentleman of some sort. In the Middle Ages, Bonhold was often spelled as Bonhöld and was largely a nickname for a noble or wealthy family.
Variations of the last name Bonhold can include Bonhole, Bonhol, Bonhorn, Bonho, and Bonholt. It has been recorded in various regions of Germany, as well as in other countries. Most notably, it has been documented in areas such as Rheinland-Pfalz, Hessen, Schleswig-Holstein, and Baden-Wuerttemberg in Germany. As of 2018, Bonhold was the 909th most common last name in Germany.
A number of notable people with the last name Bonhold have included Baron Joachim von Bonhold, a 16th century Imperial German-Bohemian Bishop, theologian, and historian; Gale Bonhold (born 1962), an American teacher, coach, and administrator; and Markus Bonhold (born 1970), a German politician and former member of the European Parliament.
The last name Bonhold is not particularly common today, but is still found used in Germany and other areas of Europe. It can provide clues to a family's history and their stature in society centuries ago.
Order DNA origin analysisBonhold: Where does the name Bonhold come from?
The last name Bonhold is generally most common in Germany today. The name is derived from the French personal name Bonhold, which is derived from the Germanic elements 'bon' (meaning good) and 'hold' (meaning master).
The recorded instances of Bonhold appear to have first surfaced in the early Middle Ages in western Germany, with records showing the original bearer being documented in early medieval documents from the time. From there, the name spread to other parts of Germany, with many variations in spelling and pronunciation being adopted over time.
Today, the last name Bonhold is present in many parts of Germany but is most prevalent in areas such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In areas with particularly high concentration of the name, such as the city of Aachen, Bonhold is the 11th most common last name.
Outside of Germany, Bonhold is rarer but it is not unheard of. This can be attributed to waves of German immigration to countries such as the United States in the 20th Century, where records and communities can still be found in cities such as Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee. In these areas, the name can be found within Germanic Protestant communities.
Variations of the surname Bonhold
Bonhold is a surname of German origin that is derived from the German word "bund," which means "link" or "bond." The surname is sometimes spelled as Bundy, Bonhöld, Bunhold, or Bunholdt.
Variants of Bonhold exist in both Germany and the United States. In Germany, the variants include Bonfeld, Bunhold, and Bunhöldt. In the United States, variants such as Bonhöld, Bundy, Bunhold, and Bunholdt are more common.
In some cases, Bonhold may also be rendered as Bundenthal or Bondenthal. Many of these variants reflect a combination of the words "bund," meaning a link or bond, and "enthal," which means ancestral home.
The surnames Bonhold, Bundy, Bunhold, Bunholdt, Bonfeld, and Bunhöldt all have the same origin and meaning. It is believed to have been used to denote those who belonged to a specific family clan or whose ancestors belonged to a specific family.
The Bonhold surname has taken many forms since its inception, with variants being used in different parts of the world. Bonhold is still considered a common surname in Europe and the United States, and it is likely to be passed on for generations to come.
Famous people with the name Bonhold
- Ludwig Bonhold: He is a German CDU politician and former member of the Bundestag.
- Nicholas Bonhold: He is a German psychologist and philosopher, holding research positions at the Universities of Tübingen, Bochum, and Frankfurt.
- Hans-Peter Bonhold: He is a German entrepreneur and founder of the Bonholding AG.
- Ernie Bonhold: He is an American actor who starred in the television show Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
- Stephen Bonhold: He a British-American journalist and author, best known for his investigations into the political secrets and scandals of the 1960s and 1970s.
- Richard Bonhold: He is a German physicist who works in the field of infrared spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy in the immediate vicinity of the environment.
- Karl Bonhold: He is a German film director who worked mainly in the German cinema in the 1950s.
- Klaus Bonhold: He is German economist and professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
- Walter Bonhold: He is an Austrian theatre and film actor who has starred in numerous films and plays.
- Luc Bonhold: He is a French writer and journalist, best known for his books on the history of the Third Republic.