Surname Wohlfeil - Meaning and Origin
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Wohlfeil: What does the surname Wohlfeil mean?
The last name Wohlfeil is a German surname meaning “well-fortunate”. This surname originated from the medieval personal name Wolfhold, which was derived from the Old German words “wulf” (meaning “wolf”) and “fule” (meaning “happy”). It was originally adopted by families who felt lucky for having survived episodes of famine, wars, and other hardships.
The Wohlfeil surname first appeared in documents in the late 13th century in central Europe and it spread to other regions including Bavaria, Alsace, Austria, and Switzerland as people migrated. The name Wohlfeil can still be found across Germany and the surrounding countries today.
The Wohlfeil surname is associated with hard work and resilience. It has become a symbol of the strength and optimism that is common in the Wohlfeil family. In German culture, the term “wohlfeil” is often used to describe a person who perseveres despite all odds. Wohlfeil descendants are often proud of their name, and some use it as an expression of gratitude for their ancestry.
Order DNA origin analysisWohlfeil: Where does the name Wohlfeil come from?
The last name Wohlfeil is most commonly found in Germany and its adjunct regions. The surname is especially prevalent in the eastern states, though there are smaller pockets of the Wohlfeil family name residing in many other countries of Europe.
According to surname statistics by Forebears, Germany is the country with the most Wohlfeil citizens, accounting for around 76.3% of them. The northernmost region to have a higher than average prevalence of the Wohlfeil name is Lower Saxony.
Furthermore, the ancestral home of the Wohlfeil family is located in the federal state of Bavaria. There are also a large number of people with this last name in Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and other parts of the Czech Republic, including Moravia and Bohemia.
In the USA, the last name Wohlfeil is also quite common. Although there is not a huge number of Wohlfeil citizens there, there are still a significant amount of people with this surname in the US.
In addition to Germany and the USA, the Wohlfeil name can also be found in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. All these countries may have Wohlfeil citizens with German or Swiss ancestry.
Variations of the surname Wohlfeil
The surname Wohlfeil is of German origin, and its variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Wohlfiel, Wohlfiehl, Wohlfahl, Wohlfeld, Wohlfeldt, Wohlfuehl, Wolfahl, Wolfiel, Wolfiehl, Wolfield, and Wolfieldt.
Wohlfeil is derived from the German words "wohl", which means "good" or "well", and "Feil", which refers to the act of bargaining. The surname was likely derived from an ancestor who was good at haggling or bartering.
The earliest known record of the surname Wohlfeil dates back to 1650, when Hans Nicanor Wohlfeil was noted as a Catholic in Beckingen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Wohlfeil is a fairly common surname throughout Germany, with many variants being used in various regions. It is also found within pockets of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as North and South America, where its immigrants from Germany have settled.
Famous people with the name Wohlfeil
- Frank Wohlfeil (1891–1965), German artist, illustrator, and graphic artist.
- Tracy Wohlfeil, American low-budget film director.
- Gottfried Wohlfeil (1902–1936), Austrian composer and conductor.
- Pontus Wohlfeil (1822–1909), Swedish botanist, photographer, and illustrator.
- Paul Wohlfeil (1896–1972), connections engineer and airplane designer.
- Otto Wohlfeil (1883–1939), German photographer and actor.
- Adam Wohlfeil (1864–1928), Austrian physicist and inventor.
- Anton Wohlfeil (1905–1978), Austrian operatic tenor.
- Charles Wohlfeil (1850–1921), German photographer.
- Rudolf Wohlfeil (1890–1955), German mathematician, geographer, and explorer.