Surname Herholt - Meaning and Origin
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Herholt: What does the surname Herholt mean?
The surname Herholt is likely a habitational name derived from Herholt, a village in eastern Jutland, Denmark. It is derived from the Old Norse word ‘har’, meaning ‘army’, and ‘holt’, meaning ‘wood’ or ‘forest’. As such, there is a strong implication that the family first settled in the region of Herholt to protect it and guard it against invasion.
The Herholt surname has been present in Denmark for centuries, and is now found in many other countries across the world. Here, the name is often used to denote those of Danish descent. Another possible explanation for the origin of the family name is that it was simply adopted by individuals who moved into the Herholt region at a time when surnames weren’t as commonplace.
Much like other Scandinavian surnames beginning with ‘Her’ or variants of ‘Hers’, the name Herholt is a reminder of a distant past when families moved together, and surnames were taken from localities as a way to identify one's lineage. It is a reminder of the Scandinavian roots of many families and still carries a strong connection to the Danish village of Herholt, where it first began.
Order DNA origin analysisHerholt: Where does the name Herholt come from?
The last name Herholt is mostly commonly found today in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is a variant of the German name Herholz, which means “heart woods”. The first record of the name in Denmark dates back to 16th century and is thought to have been brought there by German immigrants. It is also a popular name in Norway, where it is the 25th most common surname. It is the last name of a famous Norwegian actress, Ellen Herholt.
The Herholt surname is also fairly common in Sweden, where it ranks as the 74th most common surname. It is thought that the name was also brought to Sweden by German immigrants. The Swedish variation is spelled Herhult, and there are several famous Swedish Herhults, including author Ola Herhult and film director Tomas Herhult.
Today, the Herholt name is found throughout Europe and the United States. In the United States, Herholt is largely concentrated in Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Michigan. Outside of Europe, the Herholt name can also be found in India, South Africa, Canada, and Australia, among other countries.
Variations of the surname Herholt
The surname Herholt is of German or Frisian origin and has several different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant of the surname Herholt is Herold. It is pronounced the same as Herholt but spelled differently. Other variants and spellings of this surname include Harholt, Herholdt, Herhalt, Herwalt and Haraldt.
There are several surnames with the same origin of Herholt, such as Herjulfson, Herloffson, Herolfsson, Herlufson, Herlufsen, Herlufson, Herlofson, Herliffs, Herloff, Herolf, Herold, Herolt, Harloff, Haralt, Haroldt, Harholt and Harwalt.
In some cases, this surname has been changed regularly over the course of several generations. For example, the Swedish variant of the surname, Herloffs, may have been changed to Herloffson in the 17th century.
The common use of this surname dates back to the Middle Ages in Germany and Denmark. The earliest recorded use of this surname was in 1228 when one Ragnar Herjulfson was mentioned in a record. By the 16th century, the surname had spread to other countries, such as Sweden and the Netherlands.
Today, the surname Herholt is primarily found in Denmark, with a few other occurrences in other countries.
Famous people with the name Herholt
- Jean Hersholt: Actor, humanitarian and academic.
- Gerda Herholt: Danish actress.
- Daniel Herholt: Danish actor and former child star.
- Svend Herholt: Danish actor, and director.
- Alice Herholt: Danish actress and politician.
- Ebbe Herholt: Danish folk singer and actor.
- Joachim Herholt: Norwegian pianist, keyboard player and composer.
- Emil Herholt: Danish actor and director.
- Albert Herholt: Swedish minister and writer.
- Henrik Herholt: Norwegian psychologist and mathematician.
- Michael Herholt: Danish director and actor.
- Viveca Herholt: Danish actress.
- Artur Herholt: Danish actor and director.
- Jan Herholt: Danish actor.
- Maren Herholt: Danish theater and film actress.
- Christine Herholt: Danish actress.
- Lasse Herholt: Danish actor and voice actor.
- Asger Herholt: Danish actor and set designer.
- Richard Herholt: Danish actor and director.
- Martha Herholt: Danish actress and voice actress.