Surname Kristof - Meaning and Origin
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Kristof: What does the surname Kristof mean?
The last name Kristof is an old European name that is likely of Polish, Hungarian, and Czech origin. It is derived from the Germanic personal name "Christopher" which means "bearer of Christ".
Historically, the name Kristof was found in medieval records as a Christian name, suggesting a strong religious affiliation with Christianity. Other variants of the name included Cristopher, Cristof, Cristoff, and Cristofere, all of which date back to at least the 15th century.
Most likely, the Kristof family name originated from a series of villages located across the southern region of Europe in what is now known as Austria, Croatia, Germany, and Poland. It is believed that the name spread across the continent through the migration of the family from their villages to other countries.
In modern times, the surname Kristof is widely used as a surname in parts of Europe and North America. As an anglicized version of the name, it is often used to signify one’s connection with a particular culture. It’s also used to signify a religious background, as the name is seen to represent the legacy of Christianity.
Order DNA origin analysisKristof: Where does the name Kristof come from?
The last name Kristof is most common in Central Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. It can also be found in smaller numbers in other countries such as Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Poland. The spelling of the name can vary slightly from region to region, such as Kreutzer in Germany, Kreuzer or Krezner in Austria, and Krezler in Hungary.
In the United States, Kristof has been common since the mid-1800s when immigrants bearing the name began to arrive. The largest concentration of Kristofs is in New York, with the next largest concentration being in California.
The name Kristof is thought to have originated in Bavaria, Germany in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from a given name, Christianus, which stems from the Latin word 'christianus' and means "follower of Christ." The given name was followed by '-f’, a common German suffix, to form the last name, Kristof.
Kristof is also popular as a first name. Famous people with the name Kristof include the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Nicholas D. Kristof, and the co-founder of Microsoft, Paul A. Kristof.
Variations of the surname Kristof
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Kristof includes Kristoff, Krzysztof, Kristofer, Kristofersson, Kristoffersen, Kristoffersson, Kristofski, Krizsztóf, Kriztof ,Krystof, Kryzstof, Kryzstoff, Kryzstoffesen, Kryzstoffsen, Christoffer, and Christoffersen.
The surname Kristof originates from the personal name 'Kristofers'. The Old Danish name 'Kristofers' is a combination of the ancient Slavonic words 'kri' meaning "belief" and 'stoff' meaning "follower". The Slavonic roots of the name Kristofers dates back to present day Poland, Ukraine, and much of the former eastern bloc where it is commonly known as 'Krzysztof'.
The version of the name 'Christoffer' is found in the Nordic countries of Scandinavia. This version evolved from the personal name 'Kristoffer' in Denmark and it is also found as 'Kristoffersson' or 'Kristoffersen' in Sweden and Norway.
The Finnish and Estonian version of the surname Kristof is 'Kryzstoff' or 'Kryzstoffsen' and it is also seen as 'Krizstof' or 'Kriztof' in Hungary and the Czech Republic.
In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland the name is seen as 'Krzysztof'. It is also seen as 'Christof' in Frankish speaking countries, as 'Christoff' in Italy and as 'Christoffer' in the English speaking world.
In short, the surname Kristof has a wide variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Each of the version has its own unique cultural history and heritage.
Famous people with the name Kristof
- Christian Kristof: German Actor
- Mark Kristof: Slovak ice-hockey player
- Stijn Kristof: Belgian basketball player
- Lukas Kristof: Czech ice-hockey player
- Atilla Kristof: Hungarian Humorist
- Jeffrey Kristof: Dutch footballer
- Tomas Kristof: Polish Player
- Kristof Oldeneel: Dutch Singer
- Sebastien Kristof: French Rugby Player
- Karel Kristof: Czech Cyclist
- Henrik Kristof: Danish Tennis Player
- Sebastian Kristof: German Footballer
- Adam Kristof: Hungarian Actor
- Iwona Kristof: Polish Actress
- Niki Kristof: Hungarian Fencer
- Karol Kristof: Austrian Skier
- Alexandr Kristof: Russian Wrestler
- George Kristof: American House Representative
- Erik Kristof: Dutch Teacher
- Tom Kristof: British Olympic Waterpolo Player