Surname Kowalzig - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Kowalzig: What does the surname Kowalzig mean?
The last name Kowalzig is Germanic in origin and means “blacksmith” or “smith.” The suffix “-wig” implies one who works with iron, such as a blacksmith or a smith. In medieval times, these tradesperson had an important role within society, providing arms and armor to the military, tools to various trades, and more.
The prefix “Kowal-” is derived from the German word “Kowal,” which means blacksmith. However, the family may have descended from someone from a non-Germanic origin who had adopted the name of an occupational relation.
Early records of the Kowalzig family can be found in Hamburg, Germany during the 1400s. They were apparently a prominent family, holding important positions within Hamburg’s city government. Members of the Kowalzig family can also be found in other areas of Germany, as well as in the United States, Britain, Canada, and other countries throughout the world.
People named Kowalzig have made contributions to numerous areas, including the arts, sciences, literature, medicine, and politics. Some prominent family members include Richard Kowalzig (a German folklorist), Becky Kowalzig (an American author), and Elias Kowalzig (a German military officer).
Overall, the last name Kowalzig is rich with history. It’s an occupational name that carries the weight of centuries of contributions made to society, all stemming from the skill of a blacksmith or a smith.
Order DNA origin analysisKowalzig: Where does the name Kowalzig come from?
The last name Kowalzig is most commonly found in northern Germany today. It is also found in small pockets in other countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. According to AncientFaces.com, the Kowalzig surname is related to the word "Kowal", which is derived from the Old Polish word for a blacksmith. This could indicate that the surname first originated in the region of what was once the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In the United States, the last name Kowalzig is most commonly found in Wisconsin, where people began emigrating from northern Europe in the 19th century. German Americans make up the largest ethnic group in Wisconsin, accounting for nearly half of the state's population.
The name Kowalzig is also found in Canada and Australia, and is especially popular in Québec due to French-Canadian colonization in the 18th century. In Australia, Kowalzig is a rather rare name, but it can still be found in the southern part of the continent.
To sum up, the last name Kowalzig is most commonly found in northern Germany, though it is also scattered in pockets around Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. As a result of this, people with the surname Kowalzig are generally ethnic Germans.
Variations of the surname Kowalzig
The surname Kowalzig is derived from the Old German word 'kuhwaltz', which means 'cow herder'. This surname is also known in various spellings, including Kowalzick, Kohlwitz, Kollwitz, Kochlitz, Köhlwitz, and Kolwitz. Kowalzig can also be found as a shortened version, such as Kowal, Koll, Köhl, and Kol.
Other possible variants of Kowalzig include Kowalczuk, Kowalczyk, Kowalkowsky, Kowalski, Kowalske, Kovalczuk, Kovalczyk, Kovalckowsky, Kowalkowitz, Kowalkowski, Kovalik, Kowalka, Kowalewski, and Kowalewicz. Additionally, Kowalzig is sometimes anglicized as Cowalzig, Cowells, or Cooles.
Kowalzig is a common surname across many countries in Europe, and variations of it can be found in just as many locations. While the surname is primarily associated with the countries of Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and Slovakia, it can also be found in neighboring countries such as Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Russia.
In all, the various variants, spellings, and surnames associated with the Kowalzig name provide a piece of proof throughout history of the ties between these countries and the nomadic herders that brought their surname with them as they traveled from place to place.
Famous people with the name Kowalzig
- Colin Kowalzig: German footballer who played professionally for VfB Oldenburg and Krupp Table Factory teams as both a midfielder and forward from 1937 to 1946.
- Martin Kowalzig: German rower who competed in both the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympic Games and won silver medals at both of them.
- Philip Kowalzig: German Navy officer and U-boat commander during World War II, famous for commanding U-470.
- Ivo Kowalzig: Former German football defender who played for clubs such as Hertha BSC, SC Freiburg, and VfL Wolfsburg.
- Felix Kowalzig: Former East German footballer who had a career spanning from 1957 to 1966.
- Andreas Kowalzig: German former competitive figure skater who won the German Figure Skating Championships in 1982.
- Elsa Kowalzig: German swimmer who competed in the Women's 200 metre backstroke event in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
- Simon Kowalzig: Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for SV Mattersburg.
- Rolf Kowalzig: German pianist and musicologist who has served as professor of performance practice at the University of Cambridge.
- Katharina Kowalzig: German sprint canoer who competed in the late 1980's and early 1990's.