Surname Wollseiffer - Meaning and Origin
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Wollseiffer: What does the surname Wollseiffer mean?
The last name Wollseiffer is believed to be of Germanic origin. It is thought to have two possible origins, either from the German word 'wülcker' meaning 'yielding' or 'flexible', or derived from the words 'wöllen' which mean 'wool' and 'scheifer', meaning 'shepherd'.
The first option implies that the original bearer of the Wollseiffer name was a person who was capable of yielding and adapting to different situations quickly or well. The second implies that they were a shepherd that was skilled in the production and use of wool.
The Wollseiffer surname is found in eastern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland mainly. Records of the Wollseiffer name date back to the 1300s when one Baron Wollseiffer is known to have been present in Jena, a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany.
In later years, Wollseiffer have been known to be involved in occupations in fields such as trade, medicine, engineering, military and music.
Among notable people with the Wollseiffer surname is the Austrian-American violinist and composer Otto Wollseiffer who, in 1945, achieved the distinction of becoming the first classical composer to be performed in Carnegie Hall.
In general, the Wollseiffer name is associated with a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence. Its bearers are also marked by a special talent for adjusting and adapting, which has led them to success in various areas throughout the centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisWollseiffer: Where does the name Wollseiffer come from?
The last name Wollseiffer is most commonly found in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Today, the German population of Wollseiffer is most heavily concentrated around North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly in Leverkusen, while the Dutch and Belgian population is most concentrated in the city of Amsterdam.
The earliest known appearance of the Wollseiffer family name dates back to the 1600s in the Palatinate region of Germany. Later, Johann Wollseiffer moved to Hesse where he raised his family and gave them the name. The family then moved to the area surrounding Leverkusen and began to prosper. From here, the family began to spread beyond Germany, with branches of the family moving to the Netherlands and Belgium in the mid-1800s.
Today, the Wollseiffer name is still most heavily found in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. However, with the shifting global landscape in the modern day, it has become increasingly common to find Wollseiffers in countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, France, and others.
Variations of the surname Wollseiffer
The surname Wollseiffer is a German-origin surname derived from the Middle High German "swelwareifer," which means "leader of a furrow." The surname has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant is Woolsey, which primarily appears in the United Kingdom. It has many phonetic spellings such as Wollsey, Wolesey, Woollsey, and Woollsey. In the United States the surname appears as Walsaker, Welser, Welsey, Walshaker, Wolsifer, Wolosoft, Wolsifer, and in Scotland Wallyfer.
In Germany, the surname’s variants include Wollseifer, Wollseifen, Wollseifer-Claffert, Wollseifer-Metzger, as well as the surnames Wollseiffer-Eisenhauer, Wollseifeer-Muller, and Wollseifer-Werk. The surname may also be spelled as Walleser, Wallisof, Waltsoff, Woltzefer, Wollsoffer, Wolseifen, Wolssoffer, Wolssofeer and Wilseivern.
In addition, there are numerous versions of the surname that vary by language or country. In the Netherlands, the surname appears as Wolseifer, Wolsaker, Wollzak, Wollzakker, Wollzakkere, Wollzakken, Wollzack, and Wollscheffer. In Poland, it is written as Wolszefer, Wolszefier, and Wolseifer. In Denmark, variants include Walzeiber, Wollseifer, Walsager, Waltersager, and Walsager.
Finally, the surname also appears in numerous other languages around the globe. For example, in Russia and Ukraine it is written as Вольсейфер or Voľseyfer, and in Romania, it is pronounced Valţōfër. It also appears in North India as Vajsesvur, and in Italian, as Valseifer.
Famous people with the name Wollseiffer
- Andrea Wollseiffer: pioneering German female architect, known for her contribution to Modernist architecture.
- Otto Wollseiffer: German physicist who published several works on electron diffraction.
- Fritz Wollseiffer: German actor and rector of Burg Giebichenstein art school and academy in Halle.
- Richard Wollseiffer: German astronomer, noted for his research on stellar physics and the structure of star clusters.
- Norbert Wollseiffer: competitive sailor, who won the 1968 European Championships in the Flying Dutchman class.
- Lorenz Wollseiffer: Austrian journalist, political and cultural theorist, and art historian, best known for his book Das Siegel des Dinges (The Seal of Things).
- Reiner Wollseiffer: German philosopher, author, and editor.
- Roland Wollseiffer: Austrian conductor widely known for his performances of classical and romantic works.
- Rick Wollseiffer: American playwright, probably most famous for his play All Hallows' Eve.
- Simeon Wollseiffer: German-American religious leader and early adherent to the Pentecostal movement in the USA.