Surname Stolmaker - Meaning and Origin
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Stolmaker: What does the surname Stolmaker mean?
The surname Stolmaker is of Dutch origin, derived from the Dutch word “stolp” which mean a type of church-tower. As a occupational surname, it refers to someone in the business of making or repairing steeple towers, a stolpmaker. In the Netherlands, the surname became well-known in the early 16th century. During the period, the Stolmakers were renowned builders of defensive strongholds, which protected the country’s waterways, canals and harbours. The family was highly regarded and had a long line of successive generations within the craft.
In more recent times, the Stolmaker surname indicated a particular branch of construction, which primarily involved the renovation and construction of steeples, churches and bell towers. Utilising experiential knowledge and expertise, Stolmakers were essential guild members who provided communities with quality lasting buildings. Today, the Stolmaker surname continues to be admired within the Dutch culture, with a sense of pride being attached to people who bear the name.
While many of the Stolmakers have emigrated to other countries all over the world, the historical memory of this surname still remains close to the hearts of many Dutch people. This is testament to the dedication and skill of the Stolmakers who thoughtfully crafted steeple towers and structures essential for the success and security of Dutch populations for centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisStolmaker: Where does the name Stolmaker come from?
The last name Stolmaker is a Dutch-origin surname, meaning "broom maker" or "maker of brooms". It is still quite common today in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the United States of America.
In the Netherlands, Stolmaker is especially popular in the northern provinces of Groningen and Friesland, where it is the 15th and 29th most common surname, respectively. Many of the Stolmaker families living in these provinces today can be traced back to the 1500s and 1600s, when many Dutch immigrants first arrived in the regions.
In Belgium, Stolmaker is also fairly common, especially in the provinces of West Flanders, Antwerp, and East Flanders. The name is particularly common in West Flanders, where it ranks 20th among surnames, and is especially concentrated in the city of Bruges, where it is the 5th most common surname.
In Germany, Stolmaker is also quite common. It is especially popular in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, where it is one of the 100 most common surnames.
In the United States of America, Stolmaker is most common in the state of Michigan, where many Dutch-origin families immigrated in the 19th century. It is also slightly more common in California, Iowa, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. As of 2020, Stolmaker is the 15,189th most common surname in the USA.
Variations of the surname Stolmaker
The surname Stolmaker is a Dutch family name that has its roots in the country’s traditional trade and art of cabinetmaking. It has two main variants: ‘Stolmaker’ and ‘Stoolmaker’. Stolmaker is the original spelling of the name and its most common variant, while Stoolmaker is a less common American variant.
The other common spellings for this surname are: Stoolmacker, Stolmakers, Stolmakker, Stoolmakers, and Stoolmakkers. Surnames derived from similar professions also exist, such as Stoelman (chairmaker), Stoelmaker (chairmaker), and Stoelkramer (chair salesman).
The surname Stolmaker is also considered a patronymic name. This means that although its literal translation means 'maker of stools', the literal meaning of the surname was adopted from the given name of a person’s father. For example, someone with the surname Stolmaker may have a father with the given name of “Stolmaak”.
One notable individual with the surname Stolmaker is author and historian John Stolmaker, who is best known for his works on the early Dutch settlers in New Netherland.
Famous people with the name Stolmaker
- Mike Stolmaker: Mike Stolmaker is a British musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist best known for combining traditional and contemporary styles of music.
- E.G. Stolmaker: E.G. Stolmaker, or Ernest George Stolmaker, was a Swedish painter during the 19th century who is best known for his contribution to religious art.
- Friedrich Stolmaker: Friedrich Stolmaker was a German sculptor who lived in the 19th century and was a master of the Gothic Revival style of sculpture.
- Åke Stolmaker: Åke Stolmaker was a Swedish architect who is widely considered one of the pioneers of modernist architecture in Sweden.
- John Stolmaker: John Stolmaker was a Swedish athlete who competed in the 1908 Olympics and is best remembered for his gold medal-winning performance in the tug of war event.
- Sven Stolmaker: Sven Stolmaker was a Swedish cyclist who competed in the 1912 Olympics and earned a bronze medal in the team 1000 m event.
- Peter Stolmaker: Peter Stolmaker was a Swedish physicist and chemist in the early 1800s who developed several innovative and pioneering processes for manufacturing glass and home insulation materials.
- P.O. Stolmaker: P.O. Stolmaker was a Swedish legal journalist and historian who wrote and edited a number of books on Swedish legal history during the early 1800s.
- Henrik Stolmaker: Henrik Stolmaker was a Swedish-born American businessman in the early 1900s who invented and patented the first snow turbine in the United States.
- Christine Stolmaker: Christine Stolmaker was a Swedish-born American actress who appeared in numerous films and television shows in the 1940s and 1950s.