Surname Cratz - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cratz: What does the surname Cratz mean?
The last name Cratz is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word 'kratz', meaning "tall" or "strong fortification". This term was applied to families who lived near a landmark that was a strong fortification. It is believed that Cratz was originally a nickname, since the families were associated with a strong fortification or prominent landmark.
The earliest spelling of the surname was recorded in 1371, when Hans de Cratze was mentioned in a document in the town of Augsburg in Bavaria. The name has been variously spelled and recorded as Kratt, Krattz, Kraetz, Kratzmann, Kratzke, Cratz, Krattes, and many others.
The surname Cratz is associated with a proud German heritage. It has been used to denote a strong and reliable lineage, as the name is associated with a fortification which has stood against the test of time. It is also seen as a symbol of strength and reliability.
Today, the last name Cratz is found in Germany, the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other countries throughout the world. It is also found in numerous civic records, genealogies, and other documents that trace family histories.
Order DNA origin analysisCratz: Where does the name Cratz come from?
Today, the last name Cratz is most commonly found in Germany and Switzerland though there are some families in other countries with the same surname. The name Cratz is of Germanic origin, deriving from the Middle High German term Kratz, meaning 'potter'. In the late 1600s, the Germanic states were home to many potteries, where large numbers of people with the Cratz surname were found.
Many of the Cratz families in Germany today can trace their history back to those early 1800s potteries. Then, in the 19th century, a large number of Cratz families immigrated to other countries around the world, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and various parts of Latin America.
Today, the United States is home to the largest population of Cratz descendants outside of Europe and Switzerland. Here, the surnames of the early Cratz immigrants underwent a variety of transformations, including Krater, Kratz, and Gratz. There are Cratz families scattered throughout the United States, with a majority of them found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia.
Though the Cratz surname is not as widely found as it was once was, it still appears regularly in its original countries of Germany and Switzerland and the countries in which the immigrants from these countries settled.
Variations of the surname Cratz
Cratz is a German surname thought to be derived from the name Kreutz. It is believed that the name was taken on by a family with an ancestor who had an association with a cross or a crucifixion. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Cratz are as follows:
Kratz: Kratz is the most common variant of Cratz and is a variation of the surname Kreutz.
Crutz: Crutz is another variant of Cratz, derived from both the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz.
Krootz: Krootz is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a common variant of the surname Cratz.
Krauts: Krauts is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variation of the surname Cratz.
Kretch: Kretch is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Kreutz: Kreutz is a German and Yiddish surname and is the origin of the surname Cratz.
Krauss: Krauss is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Krautz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Krausz: Krausz is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Krautz and is another variant of the surname Cratz.
Krause: Krause is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Krautz and is a variation of the surname Cratz.
Kracht: Kracht is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kracht and is another variant of the surname Cratz.
Krotz: Krotz is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Kreutzer: Kreutzer is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Kreutzberg: Kreutzberg is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Kreutzenstein: Kreutzenstein is derived from the German and Yiddish version of Kreutz and is a variant of the surname Cratz.
Famous people with the name Cratz
- Paul Cratz, actor and playwright.
- Hans Georg von Cratz, Prussian general who took part in the Seven Years' War.
- Karl Georg von Cratz, Prussian general who served in the Napoleonic Wars.
- Nicholas Cratz, military doctor who served in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
- Melissa Cratz, American painter and musician.
- Allyson Cratz, American social media influencer and YouTuber.
- John Cratz, early American settler who became an explorer of the Appalachian Mountains.
- Agnes Cratz, a German yoga teacher and health coach.
- Maximilian Cratz, German composer and pianist.
- Raleigh Cratz, American rock guitarist and singer.