Surname Borgolte - Meaning and Origin
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Borgolte: What does the surname Borgolte mean?
The last name Borgolte is of German origin and is derived from the German words ‘Burg’, meaning ‘castle’, and ‘Golt’, meaning ‘gold’. Thus, the literal translation of this surname is ‘golden castle’, presumably suggesting that its original bearer was either the owner of a castle made of gold, lived in a golden castle, or both.
The origin story for the use of this name in Germany is that the original bearer was a man known as Freygolt, who was a count in Germany during the 12th century and used the last name ‘Borgolt’ as a way to demonstrate his wealth and status. According to this story, his descendants then went on to bear the last name Borgolte as a reference to their ancestor’s success.
Today, Borgolte is still very much concentrated in Germany, where it is the 41,797th most common surname. It is most frequent in the state of Thuringia, where it is the 4,714th most common surname. Thus, these frequent occurrences of the name in a certain region further hint at its original bearer’s status and wealth.
The name has also spread outside of Germany and can be found in the United States, usually after its original bearers immigrated to the New World during the 19th century.
In conclusion, the surname Borgolte is a German surname derived from the words ‘Burg’ and ‘Golt’, meaning ‘golden castle’, and is likely an allusion to its original bearer’s prosperity and wealth.
Order DNA origin analysisBorgolte: Where does the name Borgolte come from?
Borgolte is a German surname with a decidedly northern German origin, most densely concentrated in districts of Hamburg, areas of the German North Sea coast, the East Denmark border region, and parts of northern Hanover and Prussia.
Today, the surname Borgolte is still predominantly found in the areas where it has been known for centuries, although it has expanded further afield. In Germany, it is most prevalent in Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, and Bavaria. It is also found in large numbers in the United States, with the largest concentration occurring in Pennsylvania.
The Borgolte surname is also carried abroad to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, where it can be found in smaller numbers. It has spread to other parts of the world as well, but at a lesser rate.
In terms of its rarity, the last name Borgolte is considered moderately common, with an estimated 10,200 people today bearing that name in Germany alone. It is a variation of the Germanic surname Borggrefeel, which is found more narrowly in northern German locales.
Variations of the surname Borgolte
The surname Borgolte has a few spelling variations and alternate surnames associated with it. Spellings of the surname may be ‘Borggolte’ or ‘Borgolt’ with similar variants like ‘Borgelte’, ‘Borgholte’ and ‘Borgoltz’. The Germanic and Dutch names were often misspelled in records, leading to numerous variations over time.
The origin of the surname is uncertain but most likely derived from the Low German word ‘burchhald’. It is believed that a form of the name may have been used to identify someone who was from the guardhouse of a castle or fortress.
Variants of the surname include ‘Borgold’, ‘Borgole’, ‘Borgolt’, ‘Borgoltz’, ‘Borgoltzke’, ‘Borgholte’ and ‘Burgolte’. Alternative surnames include ‘Borgen’, ‘Borghol’, ‘Borgalsem’, ‘Vogelholte’ and ‘Burghold’.
In addition, foreign languages have resulted in the transformation of the surname. Some alternative spellings include ‘Borogolte’ and its variants from the Russian language, ‘Burpgolte’ and ‘Borggdala’ in Portuguese and ‘Borgolde’ and ‘Borggolde’ in French-derived languages.
The surname is generally believed to have originated in the Northern Germany region, and may have later spread to different parts of the world through migrations. Thus, the name can be found in various countries, though the most common variants are ‘Borgolt’ and ‘Borgolte’ in Germany, and ‘Borgen’, ‘Borgalsem’ and ‘Borgholt’ in the Netherlands.
Famous people with the name Borgolte
- Anna Borgolte: German actress known best for her roles in movies such as "The Life Before Us", "A Dangerous Opportunity", and "Vincent and Me".
- Thomas Borgolte: Austrian ice hockey player who has won medals at both the World and Europe championships, and who currently plays with the Kitzbühel EC in Austria.
- Christian Borgolte: German football manager and former player, best known for his time as head coach of 1. FC Kaiserslautern from June 2007–December 2008.
- Adolphus Borgolte: German alpine ski racer, who competed in the 1956 Winter Olympics.
- Eric Borgolte: German actor and comedian, best known for his appearances in popular comedy sketch show "Switch Reloaded" and for voicing characters in various television commercials.
- Christopher Borgolte: German football player, currently playing for KFC Uerdingen of the German Bundesliga.
- William Borgolte: German politician and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , who served in the state parliament of Hesse from 1999–2003.
- Robert Borgolte: German silent film actor best known for his performances in "Der Graf von Cagliostro" (192) and "The Student of Prague" (1913).
- George Borgolte: German coloratura tenor, best known for his roles in the operas Don Giovanni and Fidelio. 10.Klaus-Peter Borgolte: German professor of linguistics at the University of Marburg, and a leading scholar of Indo-European studies.