Surname Coors - Meaning and Origin
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Coors: What does the surname Coors mean?
The last name Coors is an occupational surname meaning a worker in copper. It is mainly found in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, and was derived from the medieval word "Kupfer," meaning "copper." It is likely that the surname dated as far back as the 13th century, to when copper was becoming increasingly important in Europe for the production of brass, a popular alloy at the time.
Its popularity waned in the 14th century with the onset of the Black Death, and a period of economic recession. During this time, copper smiths and miners went from being highly sought-after and well paid, to being vastly less in demand as exports of copper decreased and resources became more scarce and expensive.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the last name Coors was revived and reappeared in records as more industrial Revolution-era businesses sought to source copper again. During this time, the surname Coors was primarily found among miners, metallurgists, metallurgic workers, and ore dealers.
The surname Coors is still quite popular today in areas of Europe that were historically known for their copper production, as well as some parts of the United States. It remains as a reminder of when copper was a crucial component in the world of manufacturing and an important staple of the economy.
Order DNA origin analysisCoors: Where does the name Coors come from?
The last name Coors is most commonly associated with the brewer of the same name, Adolph Coors, who founded the brewery in Golden, Colorado in 1873. Today, the Coors Brewing Company is the world's third-largest brewer.
The Coors family name has German origins and is likely a derivative of the German name "Kuhrs," a common surname that is likely derived from the German word "Kuhre" meaning "inspector" or "umpire".
The Coors family itself is highly notable, not just for the brewery, but also for their wide-ranging charitable and philanthropic efforts over the years. The Coors family is said to have donated tens of millions of dollars to their local communities, as well as helped to fund the giant display of 110,000 15 watt bulbs on the side of the mountain in nearby Boulder.
The last name Coors is especially common in the western United States today. Colorado is a major epicenter, home to a large population of Coors family descendants. Additionally, Coors family members have migrated to other areas in the western U.S., such as Oregon, New Mexico, and California, as well as far away locations as New Zealand and Germany.
Variations of the surname Coors
The Coors surname is of German origin, and has many spelling variants and surnames of the same origin. Common variants of the name include Coorss, Cours, Coerse, Koers, Kors, Kours, Korse, Kurs, and Kurz. It may also appear as Kuhrs, Kührs, Kürs, Kürz, Körs, Köhrs, Körs, Kötz, and Kötzs.
In some cases, the surname may be derived from the German word "kurz", meaning "short". In most instances, however, Coors is derived from the Middle High German "kurz", meaning "person from a village" and have been spelled in numerous forms over the centuries.
The Coors surname is found in many countries, such as England, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and France. In Germany, the surname often appears as Körs, Kötz, Kürz, and Köhrs. In England, it often appears as Coorss, Cours, and Coerse. In France, the surname may appear as Cour and Cours. In the Netherlands, variant spellings may appear as Koers, Kors, Kours, Korse, and Kurs. In Austria, the surname is most commonly spelled as Körs.
The surname may also appear in other European countries, as well as in the United States. In America, common variant spellings often include Coors, Coerse, Coorss, Cours, and Coarse. In some cases, the surname may even appear as Kuhrs, Kührs, Kürs, Kürz, or Körs.
In summary, the Coors surname has many spelling variants and surnames of the same origin, including Coorss, Cours, Coerse, Koers, Kors, Kours, Korse, Kurs, and Kurz in addition to Kuhrs, Kührs, Kürs, Kürz, Körs, Köhrs, Körs, Kötz, and Kötzs.
Famous people with the name Coors
- Adolph Coors IV: An American great-great-grandson of beer brewing magnate Adolph Coors II, who is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Coors Brewing Company.
- William K. Coors: An American businessman and former Chairman of the Board of the Coors Brewing Company who was involved in the development of plastic-lined cans.
- Henry John Coors: An American politician and member of the Wyoming Senate who served from 1975 to 1983.
- Peter Coors: Current Chairman of the Coors Brewing Company and former candidate for the United States Senate.
- Joe Coors: An American entrepreneur and philanthropist, he was the son of Adolph Coors II and served on the Board of Directors for the Coors Brewing Company.
- Adolph Coors III: An American businessman who served as Chairman of the Coors Brewing Company from 1958 until his death in 1977.
- Karen Coors: An American heiress and philanthropist who donated large sums of money to the University of Colorado and other charities.
- Jeff Coors: An American businessman who served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coors Brewing Company for many years.
- Holly Coors: Wife of former candidate for the United States Senate, Peter Coors, she is a philanthropist and advocate for adoptees.
- James Coors: An American businessman and former Executive Vice President of the Coors Brewing Company who died in 2015.