Surname Vietz - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Vietz: What does the surname Vietz mean?
The last name Vietz is of Germanic origin, and may have been derived from an ancient personal name given to the first of its bearers in the area. It may be a variant of the Germanic name "Vitto" which is derived from the Proto-Germanic "widuz" meaning "wood, forest". It is used in many parts of Europe and is especially common in the Dutch language, where it is spelled "Viets".
The name Vietz is usually found in Northern Germany and the Netherlands, where it first began to appear as a given name in the 12th century. It was probably formed as a personal name, or a nickname based on the original Germanic meaning, since this personal name is found in the Dutch names of Vieto and Wizo. Over time, Vietz has become a surname or a family name as people born with this surname began to use the name for themselves.
In modern Western society, this last name is used both as a patronymic and as a family name. As a family name, it is often used to indicate direct descent from a family that used the name, while a patronymic is a name derived from the father's given name. People with the last name Vietz may be of Dutch or German descent, often being of mixed ethnic backgrounds.
Order DNA origin analysisVietz: Where does the name Vietz come from?
The last name Vietz is most commonly found in Germany today. According to the German telephone directory, there are about 3200 people living in Germany who carry the last name Vietz.
The name may also have originated in the Netherlands, where it is even more prevalent. It is listed in the Netherlands 2019 telephone directory as the 6591st most common name. This indicates there are over 10000 people living in the Netherlands with the surname Vietz.
The name could also have arisen in England, where there are an estimated 310 people bearing the name. It is listed as the 40182nd most common name in the England and Wales 2019 register.
The last name Vietz is also recorded in certain other countries. It appears in the U.S. 2019 census, with an estimated 710 people bearing the name, and in the Spanish census as well, with an estimated 360 people.
People with the last name Vietz may have arrived in these countries from other parts of Europe or abroad. Though the origin of the name is uncertain, it is likely that it has been around in these countries for quite some time, and its prevalence in all of them suggests that the name may be of considerable antiquity.
Variations of the surname Vietz
The surname Vietz is of German origin. It has numerous variants and spellings including Vieth, Fietz, Fietze, Feitz, Feitze, Feitzsch, Feitzel, Vietzsch, Vitz, Vitzel, Vitt, Vitte and Vitzthum.
The surnames Vietz, Feitz, Fietz, and Fietze were originally derived from place names, usually a farmstead or a house, and are credited to the Germanic language of the period. It is likely that such place names were derived from the word “vite” meaning clean and pure.
In terms of regional spread of the name, it has historically been found to be most common in the northern and eastern regions of Germany. It is also found in other German-speaking countries including Austria and Switzerland.
In addition, the surname Vietz is also found in other countries, including the United States and France. In France it is typically spelt with a ‘V’ instead of an ‘F’, making it Vitz, Vitzel, Vitt or Vitte.
The surname Vietz is also commonly associated with another surname, Vitzthum. It is likely that this surname is derived from a variant of the surname Vietz, with Vitzthum itself likely coming from the German “vitz” meaning brilliant.
Finally, the surname Vietz is also held by several prominent figures in German history, including Bernhard Vietz a German philologist and textual critic, and Karl Friedrich Vietz, an artist from Saxony.
Famous people with the name Vietz
- Maximilian Vietz: An orchestral, chamber and church musician from Germany, he was the concertmaster of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Music Director of the Orchesterverbund Leipzig.
- Elliot Vietz: An American two-time Emmy Award-winning composer, he works for television and film projects such as The Walking Dead, Chasing Life, and All American.
- Joe Vietz: A former professional football player, he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1974 out of the University of Wisconsin-Stout and played in the NFL for three seasons with the Bills and the Minnesota Vikings.
- Ellen Vietz: A director and animator from Los Angeles, best known for directing the music videos “Cool for August” and “RX Life” with Vanessa Amorosi.
- Thelma Vietz: A Swedish stage actress who made her debut in the mid-1910s, she also appeared in numerous silent films like What a Woman (1918) and Stranded (1918).
- Mark Vietz: An American singer-songwriter originally from St. Louis, Missouri, he has toured in the midwest and northwest, providing opening slots for acts like the Gin Blossoms.
- Tom Vietz: A professional ice hockey player from Michigan, he played 12 seasons with teams such as the Fort Wayne Komets, Kalamazoo Wings, and Saginaw Gears.
- Herbrand Vietz: A German pastry chef known for serving the Tsar of Russia in the late 19th century, he is credited for the invention of the iconic Berliner doughnut.
- Edwin Vietz: A Dutch cartoonist who started out in the 1950s, he is best known for his work with Olamor, a comic about a magical horse.
- Hans-Martin Vietz: An award-winning German sculptor born in 1945, he works mostly with abstract and figure sculptures and is known for his commissioned work at federal and state level.