Surname Kürthen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Kürthen: What does the surname Kürthen mean?
The last name Kürthen is of German origin and is derived from the place name Kürten, which is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Rhineland region of Germany. In the region of Kürten, the name Kürthen is traced back to the family of a former "Vogt" (official) of the city, Johannes von Kürten, who was appointed in the late 15th century. The surname Kürthen is a status name and refers to a person who came from the city of Kürten. It is also an example of a locational surname, formed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area.
Kürthen is actually a combination of two old German words. Kur, meaning “short” and then, meaning “place,” which, when combined, comes together to form “place of the shortness.” The name itself is derived from a shortened version of the word Kürten’s ancient designation, Körtener Mühlenbrug, which translates to Millbridge.
Today, Kürthen is a city located in the Bergisches Land, near the city of Wuppertal, Germany. It is located in the Oberbergischer Kreis, a district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is known for its small-town charm and the nearby Wuppertal Suspension Railway. The Kürthen coat-of-arms, designed in 1902 and later officially adopted in 1954, features a bridge over two millstones, representing the first bridge across the right bank of the Wupper River.
The name Kürthen is now associated with a variety of related spelling variations, such as Körthen, Köürthen, Kurten, Küerthern, and Gürthen. It is also found in other European countries, such as Austria and Spain. Although the surname Kürthen typically refers to a German origin, it has been adopted and taken on by people of various backgrounds.
Order DNA origin analysisKürthen: Where does the name Kürthen come from?
The last name Kürthen is primarily found in Germany today, particularly in the area surrounding the city of Kürthen in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This city was first mentioned in 1137 and, like many other German cities, has remained very much the same, with a variety of historic buildings, such as the Kursaal, which has been standing since 1840.
It is thought that the surname Kürthen is of the patronymic origin, derived from the location within the city. Although patrial names often originate from a professional connection or association, in this case this would be rather difficult to establish without researching the family's history.
The name is still common throughout the region, and the population of Kürthen today is very close-knit, with the majority of residents having family links to the city stretching back multiple generations. Even though the popularity of the name has decreased in modern times, there are Kürthen households to be found throughout the area.
Overall, the name Kürthen is still quite common in the region around the city of Kürthen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is thought to have been derived from the patronymic origin, and there are still many family links stretching back from generations of residents in the area.
Variations of the surname Kürthen
The surname Kürthen is of German origin. It is derived from the city of Kürten, located near Cologne in western Germany. Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin are Kurthein, Kurthain, Korthain, Korthein, Kortheen, Kürthain, Kürthein, Kürthen, Kürtheen, and Curthein.
Kürthen is the most commonly occurring form of the surname in Germany, with other variants being much less common. The Kürthen spelling is most likely the correct spelling originally used by the family that immigrated to other countries, such as the US or Canada. It can be found in some old records where it has been spelled as 'Kurthein', 'Kürthen' or 'Kürthen'.
The spelling version 'Korthain' appears to be the most widespread variant of the surname in North America while 'Korthein' is the most common spelling used in Denmark.
Variants of the 'Kürthen' surname include 'Kortheen' and 'Kürtheen'. Kürtheen is sometimes used interchangeably with Kürthen on US documents, but the 'Kürtheen' spelling is more common in Germany and other German-speaking countries.
The variant 'Curthein' has not been documented extensively, but is believed to have been derived from 'Kurthein'. It is speculated that 'Curthein' was used in some families in the United States to distinguish their line from other families with the same or similar surnames.
In summary, variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Kürthen are Kurthein, Kurthain, Korthain, Korthein, Kortheen, Kürthain, Kürthein, Kürthen, Kürtheen, and Curthein.
Famous people with the name Kürthen
- Friedrich Kürthen (1789: 1817), German writer and dramatist.
- Matthias Kürthen (1759: 1792), German opera composer and organist.
- Christian Kürthen (1720: 1793), clergyman, author and Freemason.
- Georg Michael Kürthen (1744: 1820), Prussian court preacher and member of the Illuminati.
- George Christian Kürthen (1808: 1870), Prussian Major General.
- Christian Albert Kürthen (1784: 1854), Prussian General of Infantry.
- Georg Kürthen (1798: 1864), Prussian General of Cavalry.
- Heinrich Kürthen (1744: 1824), Prussian Field Marshal and Minister of War.
- Karl Wilhelm Kürthen (1805: 1877), Prussian General of Infantry.
- Ludwig Kürthen (1796: 1868), Prussian General of Infantry.
- Gottlieb von Kürthen (1774: 1840), Prussian Generalfeldmarschallleutnant.
- Karl Kürthen (1784: 1829), Prussian artillery commander.