Surname Pilz - Meaning and Origin
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iGENEA Experience: A Journey into my Pilz Heritage and Identity Transformation
The iGENEA DNA test revealed astonishing insights into my heritage that reshaped my understanding of my surname 'Pilz'. Embarking on this intriguing journey of self-discovery heightened my appreciation of personal history and identity.
J. Pilz
read morePilz: What does the surname Pilz mean?
The last name Pilz is of German origin and is thought to have derived from the Middle High German word "Pilz" which means mushroom. In Germany today, the surname is most prevalent in the state of Bavaria, where it has been recorded since the 12th century.
Typically the name was originally a nickname for people, such as a baker ("Pilzbäcker"), a person with a round face ("Pilzgesicht"), or someone who was shy (“ein Schüchterner”). Over time, these nicknames were adapted as family names, and eventually formed the basis for the modern-day last name Pilz.
The name is often associated with the Roman Catholic Church, since in Roman Catholicism parish records may include a person’s occupation or physical description rather than just a surname. Additionally, in certain regions in Germany, such as in Bavaria, family’s often had two surnames, which represented their social standing in society. Therefore, it is possible that someone might have received the nickname “Pilz” due to a physical characteristic or profession and that this could have been adhered to as a second surname.
Today, the surnames Pilz, Pilzner and Pilzinger are still found throughout Germany. It is also relatively common in the United States, with the concentration of Pilz families being found in the states of New York, Texas, and Florida.
Order DNA origin analysisPilz: Where does the name Pilz come from?
The surname Pilz is most common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Pilz is a German surname derived from the word "Pilz" meaning mushroom, and was descriptive of someone who lived near a wooded area teeming with mushrooms. It is also common in Slovakia and the Czech Republic where a less frequent variation of the name is Pilzova. In the United States it is most commonly found among Americans of Czech, German, and Slovak descent.
Pilz is also found in other parts of Europe, including Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands. It also occurs in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, France, Poland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and other countries around the world.
Today, the Pilz surname remains fairly common in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with over one thousand people bearing the name in each of these countries. It is less common in other countries, with few individuals bearing the surname. The Pilz surname is slowly gaining ground in other parts of the world, however, as more people of German descent migrate or intermarry with other nationalities.
Variations of the surname Pilz
The surname Pilz is a German, Czech, and Austrian surname, that has several variations and alternate spellings. Variations include Pillz, Pill, Pils, and Biletzky. In relation to its etymology, the surname "Pilz" derives from the word pilze which in German means either mushroom or fungus. The "Pilz" surname was originally an occupational name for a farmer growing mushrooms, or any cautionary person indicating when a dangerous mushroom was found. Hence, Pilz originally meant mushroom farmer.
Other variations of the surname are Pilger, Pillinger, Piljak, Pillar, Pilarski, Pilles, and Pilgian. According to family history experts, people with the surname Pilz trace their family back to Medieval Germany. The surname was first seen in the Silesia region of Germany, where it was an occupational name among farmers and tradesmen.
In Austria and Czech Republic, the surname is spelled as Pilzon, Pillon, Pilvan, Pilzner, and Pilzonovsky. In addition, in southern Czech, the surname is spelled as Pilzova, Pilkova, and Pyzhova. Other surnames related to Pilz are Piltz, Pillatzki, Pillaz, and Pillazki.
In the United States of America, the surname is usually spelled as Pillz, Peilz, Pelez, and Poils. In England, the surname is spelled Palz and Polz, while in Scotland the surname is spelled as Polez and Pulse, with Polish variants including Pilenski and Pilenska. Lastly, in Australia, the surname is spelled as Piles and Pilez.
Famous people with the name Pilz
- Karel Pilz (Czech politician)
- Heinrich Pilz (Russian politician)
- Bruno Pilz (German actor)
- Johann Baptist Pilz (Austrian composer)
- José Pilz (Argentinian footballer)
- Dietmar Pilz (German biathlete)
- Magdalena Pilz (German artist)
- Andreas Pilz (German footballer)
- Johann Gustav Pilz (German theologian)
- Robert Pilz (Czech politician)
- Shu Pilz (Finnish artist)
- Tuomas Pilz (Finnish actor)
- Alejandro Pilz (Argentinian politician)
- Andreas Pilz (German luger)
- Jens Pilz (German footballer)
- Martin Pilz (Czech artist)
- Gyognuvem Pilz (Bermudian politician)
- Paul Pilz (German actor)
- Alfons Pilz (Austrian film director)
- Walter Pilz (Austrian ski mountaineer)