Surname Wörtz - Meaning and Origin
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Wörtz: What does the surname Wörtz mean?
The last name Wörtz is of Germanic origin and is a topographical surname denoting someone who lived by a ford or passage across a river. The name means "ford" or "crossing" from the Germanic elements "wert" meaning to turn and "z" meaning a ford. It is likely that the original bearer of the name was either the proprietor of land on the banks of a river, or else a person who regularly used the river as a crossing point.
The name could also be derived from the profession of being a weaver, from the Old Germanic "wurtz" meaning a weaver. This origin likely implies that the first bearer of the name was a skilled craftsman, associated with the production of cloth.
The surname Wörtz is found in the areas of the former Prussian provinces of Pomerania, Brandenburg, West Prussia, Silesia and Posen. It is also common in the United States, having been brought there by German immigrants in the late 19th century.
Today, the name is quite common in Germany, and there are many Wörtz families around the world. People with this name tend to have vibrant personalities and strong values. They have a deep sense of loyalty and are known for their commitment to their family and friends. They are also known for their intelligence and for their willingness to help other people.
Order DNA origin analysisWörtz: Where does the name Wörtz come from?
The last name Wörtz is most commonly found in both Germany and Austria, with a high concentration in Bavaria. Many immigrants to America from German-speaking countries in the 19th and 20th centuries took the Wörtz name with them, and today, it can be found across the United States, with the highest concentration in California and the Midwest.
The roots of the name Wörtz can be traced back to the 1600s in the Bavarian region. In German, it is short for Wurtzle, which means “little garden,” suggesting that the family originally derived from a farming lineage. Such origins could explain why the name has flourished among the farmland of the Midwest.
The variations of the name may make it hard to identify in historical documents, as it has been spelled with and without the nonstandard German umlaut, as well as with variant spellings such as Wurtz or Wurz. Variations are likely the result of immigration to Pennsylvania, when the surname may have been Americanized to better fit the spelling and pronunciation of English.
Though the exact origins of the Wörtz name remain a mystery, its prevalence in Germany and the United States suggest that it has been shared by generations of people since the 1600s.
Variations of the surname Wörtz
The surname Wörtz has several variants, spellings, and cognate surnames. It appears in various records as Wörtz, Wortz, Worts, Woertz, Woerts, Werts, Wersts, and Wersz.
One of the earliest known relevant records of the Wörtz surname was found in Germany in 1690. In this record, it was seen that the surname had two forms: Worts and Woertz.
When tracing the more ancient origins of the Wörtz surname, one finds that the earliest spelling was recorded as "werres" which translated to "wereres". This old form was then reduced to "Werz" before finally being changed to Wörtz.
This surname is a locational one, derived from the Old High German word "wert" meaning “fortification”. This indicates that originally, the surname was attributed to someone who lived near a fortification of some kind.
Other possible variants of the surname Wörtz include Wohert, Werth, Wert, Werthmann, Wertz, Werthheim, Worth, Wortman, Wurtele, and Verz.
In addition, there are quite a few cognate surnames of the same origin as Wörtz. These include Woertman, Werthman, Vortz, Vorters, Wurthmann, Worthy, Werdemann, and Vordermann.
The surname Wörtz has a storied history and has been recorded in various guises throughout the years. Due to its various variants and cognate surnames, it still resonates with many people today.
Famous people with the name Wörtz
- Wolfgang Wörtz: German film director
- Lewis Wörtz: Danish entrepreneur
- Max Wörtz: German sculptor
- Robert Wörtz: Austrian actor
- Erich Wörtz: German/Swiss composer
- Ernst Wörtz: German classical philologist and historian
- Tim Wörtz: German basketball player
- Katja Wörtz: German athlete
- Theodor Wörtz: Swiss sea captain and explorer
- Theodor Wörtz-Sauerland: German classical archaeologist and ancient historian