Surname Voß - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
DNA Test at iGENEA: Family History Uncovered - A New Understanding of the Voß Ancestry
After taking a DNA test at iGENEA, I uncovered a surprising Scandinavian connection that expanded my understanding of my Voß ancestry. This unexpected discovery allowed me to delve deeper into my family history and reshaped my identity.
D. Voß
read moreVoß: What does the surname Voß mean?
The surname Voß is a German patronymic derived from the Old German Voto, which was first adopted as a personal name in the tenth century. The name was derived from the Old Germanic word vota meaning ‘people’, ‘vow’, or ‘pledge’. Around the same time, the name took on a locational connotation, and could also represent a person from the village of Voto near Nordhausen in Thuringia.
The earliest written record of the name is dated 1172, when a wealthy landowner named Alurik de Vosse was recorded as residing in Northeim. In 1205, Johanne Voßler is listed in the tax rolls of Esslingen. There are records of the Voß surname in various forms, such as Voßler, Fosse, Fösse, Voesse, and Voss in the 13th and 14th centuries in northern Germany.
The coat of arms of the Voß family has changed over time. The earliest known coat of arms featured three silver deer on a black shield, which was first adopted in 1274. Other known variants include a shield with a silver bear in a golden field, a shield featuring three silver stars, and a shield with a black crescent moon on a silver field.
The Voß surname is most common in Germany, where it is the 67th most frequent surname. It can also be found in the United States, Canada, and various other countries around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisVoß: Where does the name Voß come from?
The last name Voß is most commonly found in Germany, although there are small populations of people with this name in countries like Austria and Switzerland, as well as in countries around the world with large German diaspora populations, such as the United States and Canada.
The Voß name originates from a Germanic word which means "man from the woods" and is believed to have been used as a nickname in the Middle Ages. As far back as the 18th century, there are records of the name being used throughout Germany, where it was mainly concentrated in the north and along the Rhine River.
Today, the Voß name is most frequently associated with the northern German state of Lower Saxony, particularly in the city of Hannover and the surrounding area. The concentration of Voß in this region is so high that there are entire neighbourhood streets and squares dedicated to the name, which further cements its place in the area's culture.
Record numbers of people with the Voß name can also be found in urban areas such as Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen, while significant numbers of Voß also reside in some of the more rural areas of the country, particularly in the north and east. In total, the surname Voß is estimated to be the most common name in Germany.
Although geographically centred in Germany, the surname is also found in other countries around the world, particularly in areas with German-speaking populations. For example, the name is frequently found in countries such as Canada, the United States and Switzerland, as well as some South American countries like Brazil, Argentina and Peru.
In this way, the name Voß continues to be a part of German culture and identity in many places around the world.
Variations of the surname Voß
The surname Voß is a German surname, and has several variant spellings, including Voss, Voos, Vohs and Fohs. It is also a rare Jewish surname spelled Woss or Wohs.
The variant spelling “Voss” is the most common spelling for the surname. This originates from the Low German word “vos”, which means “of the forest”. Implying that the original family likely originated from a sparsely populated area, such as a forest. It is also believed to be related to the Old German word “vosse”, which means “fox”.
The surname Voos is also derived from the Low German word “vos” and has similar origins to the surname Voss.
The surname Vohs is derived from the Old German word “vos”, which means “head”. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname Vohs were likely of great importance and influence within their community.
The surname Fohs is derived from the Middle Low German and Middle High German words “vosh” or “voshi”, which mean “from the forest”. This suggests that the original bearers of this surname lived in a forested area.
The surnames Woss and Wohs are the rare Jewish variants of the surname Voß. It is believed that these variants originate from the Yiddish word “wos” or “wohs”, which mean “better”. It is thought that these family names were adopted by Jewish families to indicate their higher social standing.
Famous people with the name Voß
- Jens Voß: German jurist and politician
- Ina Voß: German actress
- Uwe Voß: German TV presenter
- Karl Voß: German painter
- Robert Voß: German actor
- Alexander Voß: German actor
- Mike Voß: American guitarist, recording engineer and producer
- Kai-Uwe Voß: German equestrian competitor
- Tony Voß: German musician and founder of the band Die Happy
- Johannes Voß: German physicist and astronomer