Surname Holtze - Meaning and Origin
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Holtze: What does the surname Holtze mean?
The last name Holtze is German in origin and derived from the Middle High German holz, meaning 'wood'. Historically, the name Holtze typically referred to someone who lived in or near a wooded area, or one who worked as a woodcutter. It may also have been a nickname given to someone with a particular affinity for trees or the great outdoors.
The related surname Holtzer is found more commonly in the United States today than Holtze, and both stems from the same German source. Various spellings of the name are also found throughout Europe, including Holtz, Holts, and Holz.
The name, and variants on it, can be found in records dating back as far as the thirteenth century. This includes records showing Johannes von Sumelsdorf as one of the first bearers of the surname in the year 1267. His descendants went on to spread the name to many areas of Germany, such as Saxony and Brandenburg. From there the name spread to Poland, Austria, and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
Today, various spellings of the name Holtze can be found all over the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and German-speaking countries. People with the name who immigrated to the United States, Canada, or other European countries may have changed the spelling to better fit the language of the new country they were living in.
Order DNA origin analysisHoltze: Where does the name Holtze come from?
Holtze is a German surname, in fact, it is thought to originate from Northern Germany, and is one of the oldest surnames in the region. It is still quite common in Germany and other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The name is also found in some other countries, particularly the Netherlands, as well people of German ethnicity living abroad. In the United States looking at the 2010 Census, there were just over 500 people with the Holtze surname listed. In terms of where they lived, over half of them lived in Wisconsin and there were also significant numbers living in Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and California. Although the Holtze name is not particularly common today, it is still out there and can give an interesting insight into the subject’s Germanic heritage.
Variations of the surname Holtze
Holtze is an uncommon German surname that originates from the Middle High German word "holz," which means "wood" or "forest." It is suggested that it may have originally indicated a person who worked in a forest.
The variants and spellings of the surname vary considerably, depending on the region and over time. Common variants and spellings include Holtz, Holz, Holzapfel, Hölzel, Hölzle, Holtzapfel, Holzappel, Holds, Holzam, and Holstein.
Surnames of the same origin include Hölscher, Höltzle, Höltzel, Holt, and Holtmann.
In Germany today, the various variants of the surname Holtze continue to be used. People bearing this surname can be traced back to a small region centered around the Reutlingen area in Baden-Württemberg, although there have been emigrants to other areas who carried the Holtze name with them.
The countries where Holtze is still relatively common or prevalent include Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
Famous people with the name Holtze
- Anna Holtze: Danish actress who starred in the films The Silence (2019) and Ballerina (2016).
- Christian Holtze: German actor who has appeared in well known TV series such as The X-Files, The Mentalist and Alarm für Cobra 11.
- Kathleen Holtze: American economist, affiliated with the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
- Lorenz Holtze: German Olympic rower who won the gold medal for quadruple sculls at the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam.
- Nancy Holtze: American artist and sculptor who was a part of the Land Art movement.
- Thomas Holtze: German TV presenter and journalist with experience producing television and online content.
- Ulrike Holtze: A German stage, film and television actress.
- Musa Golo Holtze: A professional footballer from the Republic of Congo, playing for French club Lille.
- Andres Holtze: Argentine professional footballer currently playing for Copa Sudamericana team Universitario de Deportes.
- Kenneth Holtze: Danish actor and art director who won the Silver Bear at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival for Best Production Design.