Surname Pikholtz - Meaning and Origin

Pikholtz: What does the surname Pikholtz mean?

The last name Pikholtz is of Jewish, Eastern European origin and is derived from the Yiddish word “pik” meaning “point.” The Jewish family name is typically found amongst Ashkenazic Jews living in the countries that today make up Belarus and Ukraine. In the past, the family likely lived in a small village or shtetl in the area, and the place is believed to have the same name as the family surname: Pikholtz.

The name probably first appeared in the area during the early part of the 18th century when many families of Jews chose to relocate to the area, particularly from Poland and Lithuania. It is likely that these families were merchants, tailors, kosher butchers, and other sorts of small business owners who arrived looking to settle in the new communities of this area and start a new life for their families.

Today, the Pikholtz name is still found amongst Jews living in the area, as well as those who have since spread out to other parts of the world. The name is a reminder of the fortitude of the Jewish people and their ability to build new lives in sometimes difficult circumstances. It may also serve as a reminder of the importance of keeping roots from one's past alive even as one starts a new journey, wherever it may be.

Pikholtz: Where does the name Pikholtz come from?

The last name Pikholtz is common today primarily in the Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe. In particular, the Pikholtz name is most common in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, and Poland. It can also be found in countries like Hungary, Germany, and the Czech Republic, though to a lesser degree.

The Pikholtz name is believed to have originated among the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of these countries during the Middle Ages. It may have been derived from the Yiddish name “Pikholz”, meaning “rabbit”, hence the use of the rabbit in the Pikholtz family crest.

In modern times, the Pikholtz name can be found in a variety of different countries, particularly those with large Jewish populations. In the United States, it’s especially common amongst Jews in the New York City area and in other major cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. Additionally, the Pikholtz name is found in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Morocco, South Africa, and even as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

Though the origins of the Pikholtz family may date back centuries, the name still lives on in many parts of the world today. Its prevalence in the modern day serves as an reminder of the rich history of the Jewish people and the generations of families who have used the name over the years.

Variations of the surname Pikholtz

The surname Pikholtz appears to originate from Central and Eastern Europe, with varied spellings and variants suggesting that the name was once more widespread. Pikholtz is a German, Yiddish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname, with the spelling variants Pikholz, Pikoltz, Pekholz, and Pekoltz.

The German variant of the name is spelled Pikholz and originates from the Old High German “pigel” meaning “honeycomb” or “honey-comb structure.” The German surname is used as an occupational title for a beekeeper. Over time, it is believed to have spread to various countries in Central and Eastern Europe while its spelling underwent change.

In Yiddish, the variant of the surname is spelled Pikholtz, and it is mostly found among Jewish populations in Belarus and Ukraine. It is thought to be derived from “piglet” in Old High German. This variant is often associated to the Jewish tradition of giving a diminutive name, or a nickname, to a child or a person.

The spelling Pekholz appears to be the variant of the name found in Russia and it is likely to be based on the Yiddish version. It is thought that the spelling Pekholz simply replaced the letter “i” with the letter “e” in the original version.

The sister Jewish (Ashkenazic) variation of the surname is Pekoltz, often found in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia, which also follows the diminutive tradition of to making a name from the original name.

In Austria, the variant Pikoltz is believed to be a dialectical version of the original name, and is also derived as a variation of the diminutive tytle. The Austrian version of the surname Pikoltz is also found in Hungary and the Czech Republic.

In conclusion, the surname Pikholtz can be spelled in various ways, including Pikholz, Pikoltz, Pekholz, Pekoltz, and Pikoltz,depending on the country, dialect, and writing system. This surname is widely believed to be based on the Old High German words “pigel” and “piglet” and thus serves as an occupational title for those who worked to keep bees.

Famous people with the name Pikholtz

• Emilia Pikholtz: Israeli theater director and actress.
• Bertha Pikholtz: Austrian pianist and composer.
• Adam Pikholtz: Kenyan writer and poet.
• 490: Italian theologian who wrote about Decretum Gratiani in the 11th century.
• Janina Pikholtz: Polish architect and artistic sculptor.
• Barbara Pikholtz: German biologist, awarded the Leibniz Prize in 2009.
• Wolfgang Pikholtz: German mathematician, awarded the Wolfgang-Sköll Prize in 1996.
• Bolesław Pikholtz: Polish neurologist, professor of medicine at the University of Warsaw.
• Arnold Pikholtz: Viennese painter of landscapes and figure compositions.
• Issac Pikholtz: Austrian zoologist and paleontologist, presented the first morphological description of the dugong in 1858.
• Zoltan Pikholtz: Hungarian musician who plays the double bass.
• Haim Pikholtz: Russian botanist, specialist in Russian flora.
• Yehuda Pikholtz: Israeli poet and pedagogue, member of the Academy of the Hebrew Language.
• Victor Pikholtz: Austrian Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vienna from 1924 to 1932.
• Pavel Pikholtz: Russian neuroscientist, professor at the Federal Center for Psychiatry and Neurology in Moscow.
• Marie Pikholtz: Austrian publisher and book collector, owner of the Pikholtz publishing house in Linz.
• Albert Pikholtz: Austrian sculptor most well-known for his work at the University of Vienna.
• Aron Pikholtz: Ukrainian physician, director of the Rivne Jewish Hospital from the 1920s-1930s.
• Kuna Pikholtz: Polish shoemaker who worked on the streets of Warsaw in the 19th century.
• Emile Pikholtz: French Impressionist painter, member of the Salon des Artistes Francais.

Other surnames

PikholcPikholz