Surname Goerlach - Meaning and Origin
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Goerlach: What does the surname Goerlach mean?
The last name Goerlach is an ancient Germanic name of two possible origins. It is thought to either be derived from the Old Germanic name Gōrilleich, which literally translates to “spear-like”, or else it could have originated from the middle High German word goerlich, meaning “tender” or “gentle”. The earliest recorded use of the surname dates back to 1237 in the documentary “Schwe iterator Welsche” in which significant donations were made by a certain Werner zu Goerlick along the Rhine River.
The Goerlach name is considered to be an occupational surname, many of the early bearers of the name being professional warriors, such as “herzog” of Thurgau around 1350 and Walther von Görlach, who fought in the Battle of Nancy in 1477. Other recorded uses of the name include boatman, livestock farmer, corpse keeper, and morgue worker throughout the 16th century.
Most likely, the Goerlach family’s rise in prominence was due to their military success. Walther von Görlach himself was said to have been the ancestor of the independent Margraves of Baden-Baden. Most modern bearers of the Goerlach name are thought to hail from either Baden-Württemberg, Germany, or the regions of Eastern Europe where the family migrated later in history.
Overall, the Goerlach name carries with it a heritage of strength, tenderness, and success, with its members often having achieved notoriety for significant accomplishments long before the modern age.
Order DNA origin analysisGoerlach: Where does the name Goerlach come from?
The surname Goerlach is most common today in Germany, particularly in the western part of the country. It is also found in Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. According to Forebears, an online genealogical research database, the surname ranks as the 1,851st most common name in Germany, and is held by about 9,910 people.
In the United States, Goerlach is most prevalent in the state of Illinois. The 2019 United States Census showed that it was the 8,633rd most common surname, held by 2,451 people. Additionally, the name is also found in smaller numbers in northern states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio.
Goerlach is thought to have derived from the medieval German word ‘goral,’ meaning ‘the loud one’ or ‘the boisterous one.’ It is believed to be descended from the same origins as similar surnames such as Goetz and Goltz.
Whether found in Germany or the United States, the surname Goerlach continues to be popular today as a reminder of its storied past.
Variations of the surname Goerlach
The surname Goerlach has a wide range of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most commonly used variants include Görlach, Gorlach, Goerlach, Goerling, Göring, Gorling, Görlach, and Goring. Other variants of the surname include Gerlach, Goerlich, Goerlitzer, Goerlitz, Gorlich, and Gorlitz.
Görlach, the most common variant of the surname, is derived from the name of the town in northern Germany where it originated. The town's name comes from the Old High German word gor, which means “dirt”, and lah, which means “meadow.” This surname began to be used in the 14th century and was originally spelled Görlach or Goerlach.
Goerling is a variant of Goerlach that has its roots in East Prussia. This variant of the surname is derived from a very old Germanic personal name, “Gorel.”
Goering, Gorling, Göring, and Goring are variants of the surname Goerlach that arose either by chance or as part of the family name change from the 19th century.
Gerlach, Goerlich, Goerlitzer, Goerlitz, Gorlich, and Gorlitz are surnames derived from the same origin as Goerlach that have changed as they traveled and settled in different countries and regions. Gerlach and Goerlich are popular in Germany, Goerlitzer and Goerlitz are primarily found in the United States, and Gorlich and Gorlitz are prevalent in Slovakia.
In conclusion, the surname Goerlach has a wide range of spellings and variants, including Görlach, Gorlach, Goerling, Göring, Gorling, Görlach, Goring, Gerlach, Goerlich, Goerlitzer, Goerlitz, Gorlich, and Gorlitz. These variants may have different roots, but all are derived from the Germanic personal name Gorel and the town of Görlach in northern Germany.
Famous people with the name Goerlach
- John Goerlach: a German professional ice hockey player who has played for teams including the Tappara Tampere in the Liiga and Schwenninger Wild Wings in the DEL.
- Pete Goerlach: an American sports administrator and former college football player who is currently the Director of Athletics at McNeese State University.
- Brent Goerlach: a former American diver for the University of Florida and now the Head Coach for the University of Florida men's diving team.
- Jacob Goerlach: an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League.
- Adrienne Goerlach: a German swimmer who is a four-time German long course freestyle champion.
- Christian Goerlach: a German professional football player who plays for TuS Dassendorf.
- Jack Goerlach: an American rock singer, composer, and musician who is the lead singer of the band Goerlach.
- Tim Goerlach: a German in-line skater and gold medalist in the 2005 Inline World Championships.
- Simona Goerlach: a German professional basketball player currently playing for the USC Heidelberg in the Bundesliga.
- Jo Goerlach: a German bobsleigh pilot who competed in the two-man event at the 2010 Winter Olympics.