Surname Kotz - Meaning and Origin
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Kotz: What does the surname Kotz mean?
The surname Kotz is of German origin and primarily found in Germany, the United States, and by a smaller percentage in Israel. The name is topographical from the Middle High German term "kotz," meaning an unkempt piece of land or a thicket or hedgerow. Essentially, it was used to refer to someone living near such a place. In some instances, it may have been derived as a nickname for a surly or gruff person, from an agent derivative of the Middle High German word "kotzen" meaning "to vomit." Therefore, the exact connotation of the surname can vary but it's mostly related to locations or specific characteristics. Like many surnames, its meaning could have evolved or slightly changed over the centuries, so, the present-day context might be somewhat different from its historical origins.
Order DNA origin analysisKotz: Where does the name Kotz come from?
The surname Kotz is of German origin, derived from Middle High German word 'kotze' which means coarse cloth or overcoat. Therefore, it is assumed that the original bearers of the name might have been involved in the production or trade of such garments. Also, Kotz could be an occupational surname for a clown, as 'kotz' may also refer to a jester or fool. Many variations of the surname Kotz can be found including Kotzer, Kotzin, Kotzen, and others, all relating to the root word 'kotz'.
Today, the surname Kotz is more common in Germany followed by the United States. According to public records, other countries where this surname can be found, although less common, are Canada, Argentina, and South Africa. It is rather unique in many parts of the world, but you can still find a decent number of people named Kotz especially in regions with German influence or immigration history.
Variations of the surname Kotz
The surname Kotz has its roots in Central Europe, specifically in areas influenced by Germany and Poland. Variations of this last name may include spellings such as Kotze, Kotzen, Kots, Kottz, and Kotzenberg. These alternate spellings have been influenced by immigrations, regional dialects, and sometimes individual or familial preferences.
There are also similar surnames, which might stem from the same origin or could have developed independently. These might include Katz, Kutz, Kot, Ketz, Kotsch, and Kotzur. Considering phonetic similarities, the surname Kotzmann comes into play as well, although it has an added suffix.
In Poland, similar or related surnames include Kot, Kotek, and Koc. In functionality, some might consider surnames such as Katz, Katt, Katze, and Katzer as related; these German names all relate to cats, as does Kotz in some etymological interpretations.
As surnames may sometimes change or evolve significantly over generations and migrations, it's possible that names seemingly unrelated to Kotz in the present day may have originally been related, such as probably Kozlov, Kocian or Kochanowski in Slavic countries.
Famous people with the name Kotz
- David Kotz: He is an American Economist and author specializing in the area of political economy. He is well known for his work at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as a Professor in the Department of Economics.
- Nick Kotz: A prominent American journalist, author, and historian who has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize and National Magazine Award for his excellent writing skills.
- Samuel Kotz: He was a statistician and a well-known scholar of Science History. He not only contributed significantly to the arena of Statistics but also was the author of advanced statistical distributions including the Kotz Type distribution that was based on his name.
- Jon Kotz: Jon is a professional lacrosse player known for his successful career with Nottingham Varsity Lacrosse.
- Paul Kotz: Paul is a successful Division III basketball coach. He achieved the milestone of winning 200 games in record time.
- Adam Kotz: An English actor who has worked on both stage and screen, including in the TV series "The Last Kingdom."
- John Kotz: An American former professional basketball player, recognized by his election to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.