Surname Zühlsdorff - Meaning and Origin
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Zühlsdorff: What does the surname Zühlsdorff mean?
The surname Zühlsdorff is an German surname of topographic origin, derived from a place located in north-western Germany where the ancestral home of the Zühlsdorff family can be found. The place name itself is derived from a combination of the Old German zul, meaning "high" and dorff, meaning "village" or "hamlet". As a result, the name can be interpreted to mean "a high village".
The Zühlsdorff family first became established in the region during the Middle Ages and since then, their presence in the area has been documented in various records dating between 1510 and 1587. During this time, members of the family flourished and accumulated land around the original village, expanding their influence in the area and becoming respected local figures.
The Zühlsdorff family name has spread around the world since then, with individual family members emigrating and settling in various countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Despite relocating, many of the descendants of the Zühlsdorff family have stayed close to their German roots and proudly uphold the legacy of their ancestor.
Order DNA origin analysisZühlsdorff: Where does the name Zühlsdorff come from?
The last name Zühlsdorff is most commonly found in northern and eastern Germany today. According to the House of Names genealogical database, it is also very popular in the Netherlands and is found in small concentrations in the United States. It is typically of Germanic origin and its meaning is derived from the word “zühl,” which can mean either “angry” or “resolute.”
The distribution of Zühlsdorff families in Germany is most heavily concentrated in the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, and Hamburg. In the Brandenburg region particularly, the name is quite popular.
In the Netherlands, the name also appears to have rot roots. According to the German surname portal, the name is “reasonably common” in the country, especially in the region of Twente and the provinces of Gelderland and Noord Brabant.
In the United States, inspite of its German origins, the name Zühlsdorff is seen to be rare. It is estimated to represent no more than 0.003% of the entire US population. However, there are more than a hundred households with the name in the US today.
In general, the name Zühlsdorff is commonly found in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States in modern times. Its geographical distribution is most notable in the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, and Hamburg in Germany, and in the Netherlands, the provinces of Gelderland and Noord Brabant. In the United States, the name is fairly rare but more than a hundred households can still be found.
Variations of the surname Zühlsdorff
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Zühlsdorff are:
Zuelzdorf, Zeulzdorf, Zuelsdorf, Zeulsdorf, Suelzdorf, Seulzdorf, Suelsdorf, Seulsdorf, Zoolsdorf, Sooldorf, Seoldorf, Suoldorf, Zeddorf, Zedorf, Seddorf, Sedorf, Soedorf, Zeldorf, Zelldorf, Selldorf, Selldorf and Soledorf.
Zühlsdorff is of German origin and is most commonly found in North Germany. It is an occupational surname originating from the Middle High German words 'zuel', 'zeul', 'suel', or 'seul' which mean 'shoemaker' and the word 'dorf' meaning 'village'. Therefore, it would refer to someone who hailed from a village of shoemakers.
Some of the descendants of the Zühlsdorff family can also be found in North America, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The variants of this surname are distinctive enough to often distinguish them from regular spellings. For instance, people with the surname Zühlsdorff might also sign documents with alternative spellings like Zedorf, Zoolsdorf, or Seoldorf.
The variations in spelling of the surname aren’t just based on traditional Anglicization, but also reflect regional usage. For example, in some parts of Germany, the spelling of the surname had an extra ‘z’ in it, so the surname was sometimes spelled Zuelsdorf or Zeulzdorf. In other parts of Germany, the letter 'z' was dropped altogether, and the surname was spelled Suelsdorf or Seulsdorf, giving it a very different look.
Based on all this evidence, it can be seen that the surname Zühlsdorff has several versions and variants. These alternate versions have arisen over time, due to the different spelling conventions in different areas. However, each one is related to the same origins and can trace back to the same line of descent.
Famous people with the name Zühlsdorff
- Joe Zuhlsdorff: Christian pop singer and songwriter.
- Dieter Zühlsdorff: German actor, composer, producer and director.
- Herbert Zühlsdorff: German graphic designer and illustrator.
- Bernie Zühlsdorff: German entrepreneur and author.
- Alfred Zühlsdorff: German-American Lutheran theologian, missionary and professor.
- Alex Zühlsdorff: German artist.
- Lex Zühlsdorff: German photographer and video artist.
- Birgit Zühlsdorff: German actress.
- Alexander Zühlsdorff: German painting teacher and illustrator.
- Greta Zühlsdorff: German Protestant pastor and author.