Surname Wollsieffer - Meaning and Origin

Wollsieffer: What does the surname Wollsieffer mean?

The last name Wollsieffer is of German origin, and is an alteration of the surname Woldeschaffer, which means "wood-dealer" or "wood-seller." The name was likely used to indicate someone who worked as a lumberman, either as a dealer or processor. The original spelling of the name is thought to be Woltschäffere, which was changed to Woldschaffer and later to Wollsieffer.

The earliest recorded use of the name was in 1584, when a man named Anthoni Wolscfafer was recorded living in a small village in Bavaria, Germany. As the family moved throughout different German states, the spelling of the name slowly changed.

The village of Wollsieffersdorf was established by the ancestors of Wollsieffer, and still exists today. The Wollsieffer family spread to many other parts of the world in the nineteenth century, primarily to the United States, but also to South Africa and many other countries.

In the United States, the name is most common in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, which are all states that the original members of the Wollsieffer family mostly settled in.

Today, the name Wollsieffer is still predominantly German, but is found all over the world. The family is still remembered by the village of Wollsieffersdorf and by descendants wishing to honor their ancestors by preserving their unique and special name.

Wollsieffer: Where does the name Wollsieffer come from?

The last name WOLLSIEFER is most commonly found in Germany. It is thought to be derived from two Old High German words, “wolle” and “sieber”, which combine to mean wool shearer or wool scissors maker. The name is also seen as WOELSCHER, WOELSCHE, WOELLSIEFER, and WOELLSIEPER.

In Germany today, there are surname variants found in the southwest especially in the states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, but the WOLLSIEFER spelling is much less common than the other variants. It is also found in some regions of northeastern France, particularly Lorraine.

The German-language surname is also seen in other German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland, as well as other parts of Europe, particularly the Czech Republic.

In the United States, there are a small number of people with this surname today, but its use has been limited mainly to immigrants and to the descendants of those immigrants. The WOLLSIEFER spelling is found in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Missouri, as well as in Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

The last name WOLLSIEFER is most commonly spelled with the double letter -r ending. The double-letter ending is a characteristic of many German surnames, which are used to differentiate between branches of a certain family or between the different descendants of a particular ancestor or surname bearer.

Variations of the surname Wollsieffer

Wollsieffer is an uncommon German surname of unknown origin. It is most commonly found in the area around Baden-Wurttemberg in Southern Germany. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Wolffsieffer, Wolffsiefer, Wolffseifer, Wolffsiifer, Wolfsiefer, Wollfseifer, Wollfssiefer, Wollfziefer and Wollsiefer.

It is possible that the surname Wollsieffer was derived from the element 'Wolff', which was a given name that became a surname. As a given name, Wolff means "wolf". The suffix “-siefer” is a variation of the Germanic suffix "-seifr" which means 'son of'. Therefore, the surname Wollsieffer may mean “son of Wolff”. The original bearer of the name Wollsieffer may have been the son of a man named Wolff.

The spelling variations of the surname Wollsieffer suggest that the surname was altered over time due to differences in regional dialect and spelling conventions. The surname may also have been changed in order to avoid confusion with other names that sounded similar.

In addition to the variants, spellings and surnames of Wollsieffer, the surname may also have been changed to Wollf, Wolff or Wolfe. These variations of the surname are likely derived from the same etymological origin as Wollsieffer.

The only other place where the surname Wollsieffer is known to be found is in the United States, where it is believed to have been first brought to the country by German immigrants in the late 1800s. The surname is still in use in the United states today, however it is much less common than in its native Germany.

Famous people with the name Wollsieffer

• Paul Wollscheid: A German footballer who currently plays for VfL Bochum as a defender.
• Dr. Paul Wollschlaeger: German-born American doctor and author, known for his book “A generous oath”.
• T. G. Wollschlager: American Romanesque revival architect from the late 19th century.
• Hildegard Wollschlager: German artist and printmaker.
• Konrad Wollschlager: German painter and sculptor, famous for his mural and stained glass designs.
• Erhard Wollsieffer: German sculptor who created statues, mosaics, and architectural pieces throughout Europe.
• Kurt Wollschlager: German painter and printmaker, who spent several years in the United States working on print series.
• Heinz Wollschlager: German writer and illustrator, known for his collection of children’s books and stories.
• Margarete Wollschlager: German academic and author, who specialized in the study of the history of Catholicism in Germany.
• Gunther Wollsieffer: German orchestral director and composer.

Other surnames

WollsiefenWollsiefer