Surname Wolbrandt - Meaning and Origin
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Wolbrandt: What does the surname Wolbrandt mean?
The last name Wolbrandt is of Germanic origin, and is derived from the compound surname of two given names, Wolfram and Brandt. It is thought to be derived from German elements meaning "wolf" and "bright," or "daring," respectively. This implies that the first person to bear this surname was the son of a Wolfram and a Brandt.
The common meaning of the last name is "son of Wolfram and Brandt." The name is considered to be an ancient and heroic name, having been first adopted in the early 12th century. The name is most common in Germany, although it does also have some presence in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
The Wolbrandt family is known as a proud and long-established Germanic family that has a long and distinguished history. Over the centuries, its members have held various titles and offices, and contributed significantly to the cultural development of Germany. Their legacy continues today, as they remain a respected and notable presence in German society.
Order DNA origin analysisWolbrandt: Where does the name Wolbrandt come from?
The last name Wolbrandt is most commonly found in Germany, where it is particularly strong in the western states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. It is also found across Northern Europe, particularly in Scandinavia, where there are currently more than 1500 people with this surname.
Outside Europe, many people with the Wolbrandt name have emigrated to the United States, particularly over the last century. Records indicate that around 1500 individuals with the name settled in the country between 1900 and 1930, mostly settling in cities with strong German-speaking populations like Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Detroit and Chicago. According to the last US census in 2018, there were more than 6500 people with the Wolbrandt surname living in the US, making it one of the more common German-origin surnames in the country.
The Wolbrandt name also appears in other parts of the world, particularly Australia and Canada, with thousands of people across these countries sharing the surname as part of their heritage. It even appears in South America, as records show that a handful of German immigrants with the name Wolbrandt moved to and settled in Brazil during the late 19th–early 20th centuries.
Overall, the Wolbrandt name is rarely found outside of Europe and has not seen a significant presence elsewhere until relatively recently. However, due to emigration and population growth, it is gradually increasing in popularity and can now be found in many countries across the world.
Variations of the surname Wolbrandt
The variants, spellings and surnames of Wolbrandt include Wolburndt, Wolpert, Wolpaudt, Woolport, Woolband, Woolbrant, Wolburg, Wollbrant, Wolbran, Wolfbrand, Wolfbrahm, Wolfbond, Wolfbold, Ulbrand, Ulfbrand, Ulfbrant, and Uhlbrand.
Wolbrandt is a popular German surname derived from the personal name Wolfbrand, itself derived from two German words meaning wolf and protection. Wolfbrand was probably used to describe someone who had the strength of a wolf, or one who was a protector. Variants of the surname date back to at least the 12th century, when records of the name began to appear in German church and state archives.
Variants of the Wolfbrand name began to emerge over the centuries, often the result of the name being localized in different areas. In some cases, it is thought that variants arose from misspellings or misspellings by local scribes. In others, it is believed that the surname was changed as families moved from place to place and had their names transcribed differently with each move.
The most common variant of the Wolbrandt surname is Wolpert, which is thought to have arisen from a place called Wulbert. Wolfbond is another variant and is found mainly in northern Europe, while Woolbrant is most common in the Netherlands. Ulfbrand and Uhlbrand are also variants of the name, and these are found mainly in Germany and Scandinavia.
In some cases, the variants and spelling of Wolbrandt surnames are so similar that they are indistinguishable from one another, making it difficult to trace a person’s ancestry. However, the various variants of the name do suggest that the original Wolbrandt family had a wide reach and was fairly well-known in several regions of Europe.
Famous people with the name Wolbrandt
- John James Wolbrandt: American film and television actor, best known for his role in the film, The Other Side of Heaven.
- Clay Wolbrandt: American professional ice hockey centre, currently playing for the Binghamton Devils in the American Hockey League.
- Liselotte Wolbrandt: German Film Actress, who appeared in more than 25 films in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Max Wolbrandt: German Film Actor, who was involved in more than 80 films and television series from the 1930s up to his death in 1964.
- Dr. Kristina Wolbrandt: associate professor, chair of the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Cecilie Marie Wolbrandt: Norwegian film actress, best known for her roles in the films Journey to Valhalla (1940), Home Town Stories (1946), and Blue Lightning (1952).
- Irma Wolbrandt: German portrait and landscape painter known for her work in the Expressionist movement.
- Bernd Wolbrandt: German director, screenwriter, and film professor, best known for his films Charlie & Louise (1994) and Der Tunnel (2001).
- Kenneth Wolbrandt: American entrepreneur, publisher and special event producer.
- Aug. Wolbrandt: German composer, conductor and arranger during the Weimar and Nazi era, best known for his work on numerous films in the 1930s and 1940s.