Surname Foldes - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'F'
Foldes: What does the surname Foldes mean?
The last name Foldes is of Hungarian origin. It is derived from the Hungarian word 'fold', which means 'to curl' or 'to wave'. The occupational name likely originated with a person who was employed as a hairdresser or wigmaker. It may also have been adopted as a nickname by someone with wavy or curly hair.
In certain areas of Hungary, the name may be a shorten form of a longer, compound name. For example, it may have been derived from the name 'Foldes Istvan', which means 'Curls of Stephen'. Alternatively, the name could have developed from an older form like 'Foldedits Gyorgy', which translates to 'Georgian from the Foldedits family'.
As a surname, Foldes is fairly common in its native Hungary. It is possible to find families bearing this name in many other areas where Hungarian-speaking communities are located, such as parts of North America, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia. The Foldes surname may also be found in the genealogical records of several other countries, as Hungarian immigrants have spread around the world over the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisFoldes: Where does the name Foldes come from?
The last name Foldes is most prevalent in Hungary, where it is the 85th most common surname. It is also relatively common in certain areas of Romania, Slovakia, and Austria. There is a large concentration of people of Hungarian descent in parts of the United States, especially in areas such as Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. Many people of Hungarian background in the US have the Foldes surname and could be found in professional, educational and other circles in the respective cities. Certain branches of the family have immigrated to Canada over the years, and there are a number of Foldes families in both Toronto and Vancouver. In Continental Europe, Foldes is more often found in rural or small town locations, where it has historically been more common. There are numerous villages in Hungary bearing the name “Foldes”, a testament to its frequency and cultural heritage in the region. Both the spelling and pronunciation of the surname vary from country to country, with both “Földes” and “Foldes” being used in different countries.
Variations of the surname Foldes
The surname Foldes has variants, spellings and surnames with the same origin. Depending on the country, the spelling of the surname may differ. Variants and other surnames include Folds, Fold, Folkes, Falkes, Falker, Felles, Fales, Folkeson, Folkesson, Folkedal, and Farley.
Foldes is derived from the Old Norse “folki” which means “people”. This surname was primarily used in northern Europe during the Middle Ages. At that time, it was a common practice to adopt a surname that was related to one’s occupation or geographical location. Foldes may be such a surname, indicating that the original user of the name was associated with the village people.
In some cases, Foldes may also be derived from the Old English word “fald,” meaning “a fold or enclosure.” This could indicate that the original user of the name was a fence-maker or lived near a protected area.
In parts of northern Europe and Scandinavia, Foldes is often spelled Folkes. This variation may stem from Germanic “folk,” which means “people.” Likewise, other variations such as Falkes and Fallen may be derived from the Old English word “faelcon” for “falcon.” This could indicate that the original user of the name or their ancestor was a falconer.
The spelling of the surname Foldes has also changed over time to Fales and Farley. Fales may come from the Old Norse “frials,” meaning “free-born man.” Farley may originate from an Old English place-name meaning “fair meadow” or “open meadow.”
In conclusion, the surname Foldes and its various spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin have a range of origins, including Old Norse, Old English, and Germanic. Variations and other surnames include Folds, Fold, Folkes, Falkes, Falker, Felles, Fales, Folkeson, Folkesson, Folkedal, and Farley. The original user of the name may have been associated with the village people, may have been a fence-maker, a falconer, or a free-born man.
Famous people with the name Foldes
- Pál Foldes (1928-2019), Hungarian-French classical pianist.
- János Foldes (1912-1992), Hungarian-Jewish composer, conductor, and pianist.
- Mariann Foldes (born 1950), Hungarian actress.
- Csaba Foldes (born 1958), Hungarian football player and coach.
- Gyula Foldes (1901-1985), Hungarian composer and conductor.
- József Foldes (born 1978), Hungarian Paralympic swimmer.
- Péter Foldes (born 1951), Hungarian football manager.
- László Foldes (born 1944), Hungarian artist and composer.
- Nikolaus Foldes (1908-1941), Hungarian musicologist and organist.
- István Foldes (1921-1986), Hungarian painter.