Surname Goetzloff - Meaning and Origin
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Goetzloff: What does the surname Goetzloff mean?
The last name Goetzloff is of German origin and is derived from the German term "Goetzloff", which means "God's glory". This name references the glory of God, and is a representation of piety and faith, a central tenet in many aspects of European culture, particularly in Germany.
Goetzloff can also suggest a familial line going back to medieval German nobility. The earliest known recorded bearer of the Goetzloff name was Walram Goetzloff, who lived in 1249 in the German Kingdom of Prussia. The name was also prominent in Sweden in the late 17th century.
It is likely that people bearing the Goetzloff name were brave and daring warriors who defended their lands and fought to build nations in the face of wars and turmoil. It is also likely that many of them were devoutly religious. This could be reflected in the values of people currently bearing the Goetzloff name.
Goetzloff is a unique and historically-rooted name that could have been passed down through generations of fascinating people, each of whom has had a role to play in the larger tapestry of German history. People carrying this surname today could feel proud of its past, and the courage, faith and ambition of those that have gone before them.
Order DNA origin analysisGoetzloff: Where does the name Goetzloff come from?
The last name Goetzloff is believed to have German origins, though its specific route is uncertain. In modern times, it is primarily found in Germany, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
In Germany, Goetzloff is most common in the north and east of the country, particularly in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Rarer areas where individuals bearing this surname may be found include Baden-Württemberg and Hesse.
In the United States, the surname is still quite rare today, though it has been present since at least the 18th century when a Johann Goetzloff arrived in Philadelphia from Germany. It is most often found in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, and New York.
Meanwhile, in Canada, where the last name first appeared around the 1940s, it is concentrated mainly in Ontario, where a peak in the 1960s saw Goetzloff as the 6,668th most common name in the province. Smaller populations of the surname are also found in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Manitoba.
Finally, Australia is home to the least amount of the Goetzloff name, with a peak in the 1950s which saw it placed as the 1,759th most common name in New South Wales. Smaller populations of this surname also exist in Victoria and Queensland.
Variations of the surname Goetzloff
The surname Goetzloff is a patronymic surname, derived from the given name Götz. Spelling variants of this surname include Götzloff, Goetzloeff, Goetzloeff, Götzloeff, and Götzloeff. Variants of the surname in other languages include Goetz_ in German, Gotzloef_ in Dutch, and Goetzloev_ in Swedish.
The Goetzloff surname is popular and widespread in Germany, but has ancestors that migrated to other countries, including Holland, Sweden, and the United States.
In Germany, the Goetzloff surname is often associated with the Prussian provinces of East and West Prussia, where Götz was a widely used first name. In the United States, the Goetzloff family is commonly found in the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, where descendants of Prussian settlers are mainly concentrated.
In addition to Goetzloff, other surnames are associated with the same origin. These are: Götz, Gotz, Gotzloff, Gotzlöff, Gotzloeff, Gotzloef, Gotzloev, Götzloff, Goetz, Geuts, Goetzlöff, Goetzloeff, Gots, Guts, Geutz, and Geutzel.
The Gotz, Götz, and Götzloff surnames are the most prominent among the variants, and are most commonly found in East Prussia and scattered German-speaking communities in Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, and Belarus. In other European countries such as Sweden, Netherlands, and Denmark, the Gotzloeff and Goetzloeff variation of the surname is mainly found. In Sweden, Gotzloev is also a popular spelling.
Famous people with the name Goetzloff
- Chelsea Goetzloff: singer, actress, songwriter, and producer.
- Ralf Goetzloff: German journalist and author.
- Sven Goetzloff: German film director and short film maker.
- Jesus Goetzloff: Spanish track and field athlete.
- Anatol Goetzloff: German sprint canoer.
- Andreas Goetzloff: German bobsledder.
- Johanna Goetzloff: German actress and television presenter.
- Catarina Goetzloff: Brazilian singer and songwriter.
- Horst Goetzloff: German composer and model railway enthusiast.
- Susan Goetzloff: American long distance runner.