Surname Woltjes - Meaning and Origin
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Woltjes: What does the surname Woltjes mean?
The Dutch surname Woltjes is composed of two elements: the first is "wolle," an Old Germanic word meaning "wool," and the second is "tina," which comes from the old Low German "teyn," meaning "cloth," hence, the surname translates to "Cloth of Wool."
The surname Woltjes can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it appears in records as "Woltiens" or "Woltiz," and is derived from the Middle Dutch word "wolte," which implies an occupation. This suggests that people with the surname Woltjes could have worked with the production and trade of cloth during Middle Ages.
The Woltjes surname can be found mainly in the Netherlands, as well as Germany and Belgium. It ranked 131st in the Netherlands in 2019 with 4,176 people sharing the surname.
Throughout history, the surname Woltjes has been found in many records such as christening, birth registers, marriage records, and death records. Many of these individuals moved to various parts of the world including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Today, the surname is still quite common in the Netherlands, with many people sharing the same, proud family name across the world. People with this surname are generally a creative and passionate bunch, and have an eagerness to explore the world around them.
Order DNA origin analysisWoltjes: Where does the name Woltjes come from?
The last name Woltjes is most common in the Netherlands today. Woltjes is an old Dutch patronymic surname derived from a Germanic given name, Wolthard. For centuries, Woltjes has been a fixture in the Dutch-speaking provinces in the western and northwestern Netherlands.
As of the latest 2020 census, Woltjes is a very common last name in the Netherlands, with nearly 13,000 people bearing the surname. Geographically, Woltjes is most common in the Dutch provinces of North Holland and Flevoland, where it appears to be particularly common among the Dutch population. The second most common province with the surname Woltjes is South Holland, followed by Overijssel and Utrecht. Woltjes is also fairly common in the Dutch municipality of Rotterdam.
The Woltjes surname is found elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world, including England and Germany. Over the centuries, the surname has also spread to Dutch colonies around the world, such as the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. There are relatively few Woltjes persons in these regions today, although the numbers are growing.
Overall, the surname Woltjes is most common in the Netherlands, where it is considered one of the most popular surnames in the country.
Variations of the surname Woltjes
The surname Woltjes is a Dutch and German surname that originated in the Netherlands and Germany in the Middle Ages. Variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Woltjes include Woltje, Woltjens, Wolts, Woltz, Woltzius, Woltzius, Womsley, Wamel, Voltes, Wamo, Wamsel, Womsel, Wompel, Wilz, Wimsl, Vomsel, Wöltz, Walz, Wordel, Wördel, Woite, Wearing, Weitz, and Witz.
The surname Woltjes was likely given to someone who lived near a body of water such as a pond or lake, as its literal meaning in Old German is ‘of the lake’. Other theories on the meaning of the surname Woltjes include that it derived from the Old German name Volbert or that it evolved from a shortened version of the German word for ‘carpenters’.
The surname Woltjes is primarily found in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium. However, it can also be found in other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, due to immigration. Immigrants from Holland and Germany have helped spread the Woltjes surname across the globe.
These variations, spellings and surnames of the same origin indicate a shared heritage of those with the surname Woltjes and can help trace one’s ancestry back to its roots in Europe.
Famous people with the name Woltjes
- Kalle Woltjes: Popular Dutch actor who is most known for his lead roles in the TV series Don't Panic, he stars in movies such as Winterji and In My Room.
- Danny Woltjes: Dutch Goalkeeper who has won multiple awards and played for the Netherlands in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- Dirk Woltjes: Dutch politician currently serving as the mayor of the Groningen since 2015.
- Jan Woltjes: Dutch speed skater and Olympic silver medalist, known for his speed and precision.
- Sven Woltjes: Dutch Modern Jazz pianist and composer, founder of the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and the Modern Jazz Collective.
- Martin Woltjes: Dutch entrepreneur, known for his popular chain of hotels which started in Amsterdam.
- Ben Woltjes: Dutch sculptor who has been awarded multiple international awards for his iconic works.
- Sander Woltjes: Dutch professional boxer who fought in the 1988 Olympic Games.
- Salomon Woltjes: Dutch celebrity chef and cookbook author, known for his unique interpretation of Dutch cuisine.
- Willem Woltjes: Dutch political scientist and historian, known for his early works on Dutch politics and society.