Surname Kunwald - Meaning and Origin
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Kunwald: What does the surname Kunwald mean?
Kunwald is a surname of German origin, likely derived from the Germanic elements "kun" meaning brave, bold, hardy and "wald" meaning to rule. The Kunwald family were most likely a ruling dynasty, whose members demonstrated the values of courage, strength, and leadership.
The Kunwalds were a prominent family in Germany and other German-speaking parts of Europe for many centuries. Records of the family date back as early as the middle of the 14th century, when they held controlling positions in various areas of government, commerce, and the military. There are also records of Kunwalds taking prominent roles in church affairs, including serving as priests and bishops.
Several Kunwalds have achieved fame and prestige in German history, including the 19th century literary figure Max Kunwald and the 15th-century explorer and cartographer Sebastian Kunwald.
While the Kunwalds are no longer a powerful dynasty, they are still a well-known family name in Germany. To this day, the name connotes the values that the family was known for centuries ago: bravery, strength, and leadership. The Kunwalds have left an indelible mark on German culture and history.
Order DNA origin analysisKunwald: Where does the name Kunwald come from?
The last name Kunwald is found in many countries around the world, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Romania. It's believed to have originated in the former medieval kingdom of Bohemia and Moravia, located in the present-day Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The name Kunwald means "from the Kunwalds", which is essentially a reference to settlers of the region who lived near the Kunwald Mountains in Bohemia. Records show that some of the earliest known written mention of the name dates back to the 15th century, when it appeared in documents in Moravia, Slovakia, and Poland.
Today, Kunwald is most commonly used in the Czech Republic, where records indicate that it was the most popular last name in the region in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the early 2000s, research done in the Czech Republic showed that roughly one-third of the population share the Kunwald surname.
The name is also found across Moravia and Slovakia, as well as in other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany and Hungary. In the United States, Kunwald is much less common, and it is estimated that less than 400 Americans bear the Kunwald name today.
Variations of the surname Kunwald
The surname Kunwald is a name of German and Jewish origin. It is known to have been used in the Middle Ages and is derived from the Germanic elements “kuno”, meaning “brave”, and “wald”, meaning “forest”.
Kunwald is most commonly spelled as such, but it can also have a variety of spellings including Künewald, Künwald, Könwald and Künwaldt. All of these spellings share the same origin.
Kunwald may also have variants spelling in other languages. In Dutch, for example, it can also be spelled as Kunwaldt. Other variant spellings are Kunwalter and Kunalt.
The surnames Kuniwald, Kornwald, Kurnwald, Kunewold, Küntzwald, Kunberswald, Kuneshwald, Bunwald, and Kunzwald are all derived from the same root as Kunwald and are thought to be variants, although it is worth confirming with a genealogist.
Kunwald can also be found as a surname in various forms in other languages, including in Polish (Kunwald) and Czech (Kunwald).
In terms of surnames, Kunwald can also be found as Kunald, Künewald, Künowald, Künzwald, Konwald, and Kuenwald. All of these surnames share the same origin and are thus variants of the same surname.
Famous people with the name Kunwald
- Reinhard Kunwald—German conductor and composer
- Wolfgang Kunwald—Austrian mathematician and physicist
- Agathe Kunwald—French Actress
- Eric Kunwald—Swedish Film Director
- Till Kunwald—German Politician
- Helga Kunwald—German theologian
- Richard Kunwald—US Air Force General
- Robert Kunwald—Austrian civil engineer
- Roger Kunwald—Luxembourg biochemist and academic
- Andreas Kunwald—German Manager and CEO
- Rudolf Kunwald—Czechoslovakian Figure Skater
- Raymond Kunwald—German Politician
- Antje Kunwald—German Politician
- Eugen Kunwald—Czech Physicist
- Susan Kunwald—American attorney
- Heinz Kunwald—Czech Army Officer
- Erwin Kunwald—Austrian Figure skater
- Helene Kunwald—German Opera Librettist
- Gertie Kunwald—Austrian Pianist
- Bettina Kunwald—German Musician