Surname Foitzik - Meaning and Origin
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Foitzik: What does the surname Foitzik mean?
The surname Foitzik is an Ashkenazic Jewish surname originating in Eastern Europe. It most likely comes from the Yiddish phrase feytzik, which means “small bird." It is often considered to be a nickname given to someone with characteristics like those of a small bird.
In the early 20th century, around public records start appearing with the Foitzik surname as many people of Eastern European Jewish descent immigrated to the United States. During this time, many of these immigrants Americanized their last names, so that what was originally "Fejzik or Feyzik" became Foitzik.
The surname Foitzik is still relatively uncommon today. In the United States, genealogy websites indicate that there are about 2,100 people with this surname, with the majority living in the U.S. states of Texas, California, and New York. An even more rare spelling of the surname is Foitzick, with just over 400 people sharing this spelling around the world.
Overall, the name Foitzik symbolizes the resilience of the Eastern European Jews who immigrated beyond their home country, and eventually filled the United States with their culture and customs. More than a century later, these same families proudly continue to carry the Foitzik surname as a reminder of their history and heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisFoitzik: Where does the name Foitzik come from?
The last name Foitzik is generally associated with German ancestry and can be commonly found across Germany today. Initially, the Foitzik surname was most common in the northern and eastern regions but today there is a noticeable pattern across the country. It can also be found in nearby countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
German records from the 1500s show the first mentions of this family name. As a patronymic surname, it is derived from the German variant of the name “Foite” which means “son of Foite”. The name Foite is believed to have been derived from a German element meaning "victory."
Most contemporary Foitzik’s originate from Pomerania located in the northwest region of Germany. It was home to many Foitzik’s between the 17th and 19th centuries and was part of the original spread of the surname.
Foitzik is just one of numerous surnames with German origins. Even today, this last name and its associated German identity display the historic influences of this region on the people within its borders. As with many other European surnames, the Foitzik name is shared by many people around the world and is sure to continue to spread for generations to come.
Variations of the surname Foitzik
The surname Foitzik is a German name originating from the region of Saxony in eastern Germany. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include: Foitzik, Foitsik, Foetze, Feitze, Fietze, Feytze, Foeitzic, Foytzik, Foytsik, Foytsich, and Foetzisch.
The name Foitzik comes from the Old German "fodic" which means "pottery” and is related to names such as "Fettichen", or "Feldtichen", which mean “clay or pottery maker”. It was a common occupational name for potters.
Variant spellings developed as the language we now call German slowly evolved over the centuries, transitioning from the original Old German dialect. Spelling became newly standardized during the 19th century, and personal records began to be more carefully kept.
Variations of the surname can be found in quite a few documents, often in areas of Germany where German was spoken, but where the particular dialect was still in use. For example, a church register from the 17th century in what is now part of Poland, lists a man by the name of Foetzik which appears not to be a typo but was likely a local dialect version of the surname.
The most closely related surnames to Foitzik are typically found in the greater German-speaking regions such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and of course Germany. It is interesting to note that many of these names appear to be derived from the same source and hold some truth to the old Germanic word family.
In the present day, the Foitzik surname is found in many countries all over the world, as its original bearers migrated to different lands in search of better opportunities.
Famous people with the name Foitzik
- Josefine Foitzik, German discus thrower
- Anton Foitzik, German entomologist
- Hans Foitzik, German botanist
- Werner Foitzik, German actor
- Hermann Foitzik, German professor and archaeologist
- Romy Foitzik, German actress
- Anton Foitzik, German painter
- Alfred Foitzik, German World War II pilot
- Matthias Foitzik, German molecular biologist
- Hans-Jörg Foitzik, German lawyer and judge