Surname Schliefkowitz - Meaning and Origin
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Schliefkowitz: What does the surname Schliefkowitz mean?
The last name Schliefkowitz is a German name, derived from Schlief, meaning "slope", and kowitz, meaning a "small town". It is thought to have originated in the town of Schniewitz, located in what is now Western Poland. Thus, people with the surname Schliefkowitz originally would have been from the Schniewitz area.
The name is a fairly common one in Germany, and appears to have spread across Europe. It can be found primarily in Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Research has suggested the name can also be found in the USA, South America, and other parts of the world, showing how far the original family might have spread.
This last name is thought to possibly have been adopted by families at different times for different reasons. It is likely that some adopted the surname in order to signify their origin from the Schniewitz area. Other families may have adopted the surname as a result of religion or politics, as it was not uncommon for people to convert religions, or adopt other political allegiances.
Whatever the origin of the last name, people with the surname of Schliefkowitz can trace it back to the Schniewitz area of Germany. From there, the surname has spread and is now located across the world.
Order DNA origin analysisSchliefkowitz: Where does the name Schliefkowitz come from?
The last name Schliefkowitz is quite rare today and is most commonly associated with descendants of the former Austrian empire. It is likely of German origin, but there is no definite answer as to where the name came from or who the earliest Schliefkowitzes were.
The only major concentration of families with the last name Schliefkowitz is in Austria, where it is estimated that a few hundred people still carry the Schliefkowitz surname. However, the name is spread quite thinly throughout the world, as many Austrians emigrated in 19th and 20th century. This led to significant concentration of Schliefkowitzes in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Many of these families have all but lost their Austrian heritage, as there are few records left to trace the origins of the name.
The name is quite rare today, and outside of Austria, it is usually only encountered as the last name of descendants of Austrian immigrants. Even in Austria, the name is quite uncommon. However, some first names associated with the name, such as Karl, Paul, and Wilhelm, are still common in the country.
Variations of the surname Schliefkowitz
The surname Schliefkowitz is thought to be derived from the German words “Schlief” meaning sly or cunning and “Kowitz” meaning inhabitant of a village. There are several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for Schliefkowitz.
The variants of the surname Schliefkowitz that are found throughout central and Eastern Europe include: Schleifkowitz, Schliifkowitz, Schlieffkowitz, Schlifkowitz, Schlieffkowitz, Schlefkowitz, Schlefkowitz, Schliefka, Schliefkowski, Schlefka, Schliefka, Schleffka, Schleffski, Schlifka, Schlifkowski, Schlyefkovich or Selifkovski.
In some cases, spellings may change due to dialectical differences or geographical location. For example, individuals with the surname Schliefkowitz living in Poland may spell it Schliefkowitz or Skeifkowitz, while individuals with the same surname living in Russia can often spell it Selifkovski.
Other surnames that could potentially have the same or similar origins include Šilić, Šiljka, Šiljić, Šiljič, Schleifenbaum, Schleifner, Schliwek, Schlifken, Schleiffer, Schleifer, Schliifer and Schliffer.
It is also possible that the surname results from a previous change or adoption of a different surname. Examples of this could include Schliefkowitz changing to Schliefenbaum or Schleifkowitz changing to Schleifer.
No matter the spelling, the common origin of the surname Schliefkowitz likely dates back hundreds of years to a time when the focus was on strong family ties and a commitment to keeping surnames in the same form.
Famous people with the name Schliefkowitz
- Traudl Junge, a German secretary who served as Adolf Hitler's last private secretary.
- George Schliefkowitz, a German naval officer and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
- Lena Schleifkowitz, a German actress who appeared in numerous television series and films.
- Günther Schliefkowitz, a German footballer who played as a defender.
- Dr. Johannes Schliefkowitz, a German lawyer.
- Udo Schliefkowitz, a German writer and theater director.
- Wilhelm Schleifkowitz, a German politician and former Mayor of Köln.
- Cornelie Schleifkowitz, a German artist based in Berlin.
- Robert Schleifkowitz, a German journalist and author.
- Luise Schleifkowitz, a German sculptor.