Surname Kosfeld - Meaning and Origin

Kosfeld: What does the surname Kosfeld mean?

The last name Kosfeld is a German and Jewish topographic surname that denotes a person who originally came from or lived in Kosfeld (a place also known as Kosfelt), Germany. The village was likely founded in medieval times and is located in the district of Vulkaneifel.

The name Kosfeld is composed of two elements. The first is the German element ‘Kos’, which is derived from the Latin word ‘cus’ which translates to ‘house’. The second element is the German word ‘feld’, which means ‘field’ or ‘plain’. Hence, the surname Kosfeld literally means ‘from the house in the field’, indicating a possibly rural origin.

The surname Kosfeld has been found in various places, including Germany, Austria, the United States, England, Canada and Israel. It is also a fairly rare surname, with fewer than 250 people in Europe sharing the surname.

The surname Kosfeld was likely carried by a family that originally lived in or near the village of Kosfeld in Germany, but has now spread across many countries. Despite its rarity, the name as surely left a distinct mark on the many generations of Kosfelds that have gone before.

Kosfeld: Where does the name Kosfeld come from?

The last name Kosfeld is not particularly common today, but can be found mainly in Germany and in other German-speaking regions of Europe. According to the most recent German census, approximately 400 individuals living in Germany currently carry the last name Kosfeld.

It is not known precisely where the Kosfeld family name originated from, however, most of its contemporary bearers are believed to be descended from German immigrants. It is likely that the original ancestors of the family resided in a rural area, possibly near the German city of Kassel. The majority of contemporary Kosfelds still live in the western part of Germany, mostly in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Wurttemberg. Outside of Germany, the family name can be found in small numbers in Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Although the number of individuals with the last name Kosfeld is small, many of them remain connected to each other through various family groups and genealogical websites. In Hamburg, Germany, many Kosfelds have also formed a regional group which meets annually. The connections preserved through these family groups help to preserve the Kosfeld legacy for future generations.

Variations of the surname Kosfeld

Kosfeld is a Germanic surname derived from a place name. It is most commonly found in Germany, although there may be other countries in which it appears as well.

Variants of the surname include Koßfeld, Kößfeld, Kössefeld, Kößfeld, and Kaßfeld. In some regions, the ‘ß’ character is written as ‘ss’, making Koßfeld appear as Kossfeld, Koßsefeld as Kossefeld, and Kößfeld as Koesfeld.

Alternative spellings of the surname Kosfeld include Kosfel, Kußfeld, Kußfel, Kossfel, and Kößfel.

Related surnames with the same origin include Kestel, Kessel, Kästel, Kiesel, and Kistel. These surnames all derive from a place name which includes the German word for ‘cask’ or ‘barrel’.

It is possible that some of these surnames may have derived from the Medieval name ‘Kothefeld’, derived from the Middle Low German word ‘kothe’ meaning ‘millstone’.

The surname Kosfeld may also have derived from the German given name 'Koswig' or 'Kosenwinkel', meaning 'dark corner', or from the Middle High German word 'Kustel', meaning 'pigsty'.

In addition, Kosfeld may be an abbreviated version of the given name 'Konrad', which is derived from the German word 'kuonrad', meaning 'bold counsel'.

All of these spellings and variants of the surname Kosfeld are derived from the German language and provide further insight into its origins.

Famous people with the name Kosfeld

• Anna Kosfeld: Professional actress, TV moderator and bestseller author from Germany
• Friedrich Kosfeld: German mathematician and professor at the Technische Universität München
• Matthias Kosfeld: German painter and sculptor based in Munich
• Reinhold Kosfeld: German industrialist, liqueur distiller, and founder of R. Kosfeld GmbH
• Hans Kosfeld: German resistance fighter and member of the White Rose movement
• Karl Kosfeld: German composer and songwriter
• Dirk Kosfeld: German football player, playing as a fullback for Bayern Munich
• Lorenz Kosfeld: German entrepreneur and investor, focusing on start-ups in the media industry
• Conni Kosfeld: German actress, best known for her appearances in the TV series 'Aufstieg und Fall des Bösen', 'Muttis Liebling' and 'Der Kriminalist'
• Florian Kosfeld: Contemporary German artist, focusing mainly on figurative painting

Other surnames

Kosfelder