Surname Wolz - Meaning and Origin
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Wolz: What does the surname Wolz mean?
The last name Wolz likely derives from the Germanic personal name “Wulfaz,” composed of the elements “wulf” meaning wolf and the suffix -az. This name was likely used to connote a person with wolf-like qualities, someone brave and sure-footed, qualities of a leader. By the time of the Middle Ages, “Wulfaz” was written as “Wolz” in some documents, and eventually “Wolz” became a surname in Germanic-speaking areas.
The name was common in the eastern part of modern Germany region Franconia, and likely became more prominent during the Protestant Reformation when families began to record their histories in the form of surnames. It was also used in areas of what is now the Czech Republic, which was heavily German-speaking in the sixteenth century. Most of the spellings of the name emerged in the eighteenth century, with “Wolz” being the most common variant.
The name Wolz had a number of variant spellings including Walz, Wohlz, Woelz, Wols, and Walls, and it is found throughout Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the former Czechoslovakia region. The name is still common today, carried by families descended from the original “Wulfaz” ancestors and those who later adopted “Wolz” as their surname.
Order DNA origin analysisWolz: Where does the name Wolz come from?
The last name Wolz is a common German surname. It has many spelling variations, such as Walz, Wohlz, Wolz, Wulz, Wülz, Wölz, Wülle, and Wölle. It is found mainly in southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Lower Saxony, although there are also a few families with the name in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The name first appeared in records in the 1000s in what is now Silesia, now part of Poland. It is thought to be of locational origin, and would have originally been used to identify someone from a place named with the German word ‘wolz’, meaning ‘marshland’ or ‘swamp’. It is also possible that the name is derived from the personal name ‘Wulf’, which is of German-Scandinavian origin.
Today, the last name Wolz is still very common in Germany, but is less so in other countries. It is particularly prevalent in the United States, where large numbers of German immigrants settled during the 19th century. As well as America, the name is also found in Australia, Canada, and South Africa.
Variations of the surname Wolz
The surname Wolz is of Germanic origin, as the ancestral form of the name likely came from regions now in Germany. The descendants of the original bearers of this surname eventually dispersed across Europe and the Americas. As such, this surname has a large number of variants, with spellings typically changing from region to region.
Variants of Wolz include Wolf, Wulff, Wulfs, Vols, Wols, and Wolffs. Wolf is the most universally recognized spelling of this surname, thought to originate from the Middle High German ‘wolph’, which used to mean a ‘wolf’. Wolf is especially common in English-speaking countries, where it is typically spelled W-O-L-F. Other variations of this root include Wulff and Wulfs, which are more commonly found in German-speaking countries.
The surname Wolz is also known under many other surnames, which could be spelled similarly or be derived from the original German root. Some of these surname variations are Walz, Welz, Walts, Voltz, Woltz, Walig, Walds, Wellz, Wels, Walles, Wallis, and Wallen. Additionally, there are many variations of Wolz in the United States, such as Wolse, Walde, Wilso, Norse, Warlick, and Walch.
Overall, the surname Wolz is an ancient surname associated with many variants over the centuries. The most common variation of this surname is ‘Wolf’, yet due to its history, there is a large number of recognized variants and derivatives of this surname.
Famous people with the name Wolz
- Blair Kiel, former NFL quarterback
- Elias Wolz, German entrepreneur
- David Wolz, Austrian journalist and author
- Natsuko Wolz, Japanese manga artist
- Bettina Wolz, German composer and musician
- Dean Wolz, American actor
- Udo Wolz, German actor
- Philipp Wolz, German mixed martial artist
- Jakob Wolz, German ice hockey player
- Wolfgang Wolz, Swiss shot putter
- Marc Wolz, German football player
- Jürgen Wolz, German middle distance runner
- Steffen Wolz, German footballer
- Manuel Wolz, German skier
- Andreas Wolz, German cyclist
- Manfred Wolz, German football coach
- Anna Wolz, German steeplechase athlete
- Gabriel Wolz, Swiss cinematographer
- Sophie Wolz, German figure skater
- Johannes Wolz, German classical guitarist