Surname Bültges - Meaning and Origin

Bültges: What does the surname Bültges mean?

The last name Bültges is a German family name deriving from an occupation. Bültges roughly translates to ‘buckle maker’ or ‘belt maker’. This type of professional would specialize in making and mending metal buckles while creating bespoke belts for customers.

The Bültges surname originated from the time of the Middle Ages, when buckles and belts were a common fashion accessory. The surname would have been a reflection of someone’s profession back then. From the 13th century until the 14th century, the German cities of Cologne and Lüdenscheid were important buckle production centers, producing metal buckles for a variety of purposes, including as accessories to clothes and shoes.

Buckles were useful to secure clothing and even to arm oneself for battle, however, this was most often a job for a craftsman rather than an armorer. The Bültges surname was likely derived from this type of job where an individual was responsible for making and mending buckles. This family name, therefore, has existed for centuries and originates from a craft that has been a part of German culture for a long time.

Today, the last name Bültges is found mainly in Germany and also across Europe. It is a unique last name and one associated with a craft that is known to have been practiced for centuries. Although it is not a common occupation today, the last name Bültges still stands as an example of a profession that was once a fundamental part of life in medieval Germany.

Bültges: Where does the name Bültges come from?

The last name Bültges is most commonly found in Germany, especially in the western region of the country near the Dutch border. This last name is of predominantly German origin, but may have Dutch ancestry. It first became widespread in the mid-1600s, especially in the cities of Münster, Düsseldorf, and Cologne.

The Bültges family name is associated with the occupational origin of the word "gebültig", which means something that is made up of pieces. This is likely due to the associated occupation of tailoring or cobbling. It also has strong connections to the Bültges family coat of arms, which includes a pair of scissors surrounded by the Latin phrase "abscissione aeterna", meaning eternal cutting.

Today, the Bültges family name is becoming more rare as time passes. It is estimated that the population of Bültges individuals has decreased by nearly 33% since the early 1800s. Despite this, some areas of Germany still have a higher occurrence of the name Bültges than others.

Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia are all regions of Germany where the last name Bültges is still fairly common. Additionally, there are several locations in the Netherlands that have a higher-than-average presence of Bültges individuals, suggesting that there is indeed a strong Dutch heritage associated with this surname.

The last name Bültges is a prominent piece of German history that helps illustrate the culture of centuries past. Though the name is becoming more rare, it is still prominent in some areas, giving tribute to its long illustrious past.

Variations of the surname Bültges

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Bültges include Bultges, BültGes, Bült GeS, Bültise, Bültiss and Bultise.

The origin of the surname Bültges traces back to Belgium in the 1300s, where it was also known as Buldeges. By 1500, this spelling had been shortened to Bültges; a spelling that had become widely recognized by 1600.

Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, variants of the Bültges format emerged, introducing several new spellings of the surname. Bultges, BültGes, and Bült GeS were all introduced during this period.

By the 1800s, the surname had become widespread and had popped up in records across Europe. Furthermore, new surnames emerged from the same origin, such as Bültise, Bültiss, and Bultise, providing new ways of spelling and saying the same family name.

Since then, the surname has spread across the world. It can still be found in its original form, as well as in several new and altered spellings. Despite the alterations, each spelling links back to the original Buldeges formatting of the 1300s.

Famous people with the name Bültges

• Lothar Bültges: Former German Olympic steeplechase athlete
• Ralf Bültges: German chess grandmaster
• Anna Sophia Bültges: German art historian
• Johannes Bültges: German Romantic painter
• Jürgen Bültges: German jazz musician and composer
• Felix Bültges: German Olympic athlete
• Simon Bültges: German classical archaeologist
• Ludwig Bültges: German Protestant pastor
• Mark Liebenow Bültges: German writer and artist
• John Bültges: German contractor and mechanical engineer

Other surnames

Bültge