Surname Volhard - Meaning and Origin
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Volhard: What does the surname Volhard mean?
The last name Volhard has Germanic origins and is derived from the personal name "Volker" which first appeared as part of the patronymic surname in the 13th century.
The literal meaning of "Volker" is "people" which connotes a sense of leadership and strength. This could be reflected in the individual who took the surname of Volhard centuries ago.
In addition, the name itself is a combination of two elements, "Volk" and "hard". The former means people or nation while the latter signifies brave or a fierce warrior.
This could allude to the origin story of the name being passed down over generations by individuals who were brave and strong and had a sense of leadership.
The Volhard surname is largely associated with linguistics and is prominent among library and university societies. Today, it is most common in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and is exported to other countries by those with the last name Volhard.
The spirit of "people" and "bravery" which Volhard represents continues to live on in the numerous individuals who proudly identify with this name.
Order DNA origin analysisVolhard: Where does the name Volhard come from?
The last name Volhard is most common in Germany today. According to the most recent data, released in 2020, Volhard is the 9,428th most-common surname in Germany.
Volhard is a German surname with a long and esteemed history. Originally derived from the popular personal name Wolfhard, the given name Wolf was first documented in Germany a thousand years ago in the form 'Wlfard'. This was then transformed into the modern surname 'Volhard' over time.
Today, the last name Volhard is most common in the German states of Bavaria, Saxony, and the surrounding area. Aside from Germany, Volhard can also be found in other European countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. There is also a small presence in countries outside Europe, such as the United States, Canada and Australia.
Volhards have a long and strong connection to Germany, but today this surname can also be found all over the world. It's association with a beloved traditional Germanic given name has made it a popular choice among many German-speaking countries and cultures.
Variations of the surname Volhard
The surname Volhard is an occupational surname derived from German, meaning "stout courage". The variants and alternative spellings of this surname vary from language to language but include Volhardt, Volhard, Volhardt, and Vollhardt. The surname also has a variety of other spellings, including Wolhard, Wolhardt, and Wolfhardt.
In Dutch, the surname is rendered as Wolhard, Vollhardt or Volhard. In Swedish, the surname is written as Volhard or Vollhard. In Norwegian, the surname is spelled as Vollhardt or Valhardsen. In Danish, the spelling of Volhard is Volhardsen. Other forms of the surname are Wollhard, Wolhardsen, Wollhardsen, Vollhart, and Vollharts.
Alternate spellings of the name in the SE-European region include Volharde, Wolhardt, Vollhard, Wolhard, and Wolfhardt. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the surname is usually spelled as Volhardt.
In Jewish communities, the surname is spelled as Vollard and Woolfard. In other versions of the name, the prefix Wolf- is replaced by Vel-, such as Velhards and Velhard.
In addition to its various forms, this surname has a number of variants that are derived from spelling variations, oblique meanings, or transcriptional errors when the surname was first recorded. These variants include Valhart, Valhardt, Volhart, Valhardsen, Valhard, Falhardt, and Fulhard. In some cases, when the prefix Wolf- is replaced by Helf-, the surname is spelled as Helfard.
Famous people with the name Volhard
- Wilhelm Friedrich Philipp Volhard: an early German clinical chemist.
- Hermann Volhard: a famous German physician and chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1905 with Jacobus Henricus van't Hoff for their work on chemical equilibria and osmotic pressure.
- Andrina Volhard: a Swiss pace skater who competed at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
- Edith Volhard: a German painter, writer and feminist.
- Christian Wilhelm Volhard: a German physician and bacteriologist.
- Gisela von Volhard: an early German paediatrician.
- Friedrich Volhard: a German academic and otorhinolaryngologist born in 1862.
- Ute Volhard: a German physician and writer.
- Albert Ludwig Wilhelm Volhard: a German anatomist during the 19th century.
- Erich Volhard: a German physician specialising in paediatrics.