Surname Rudolf - Meaning and Origin
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The DNA test from iGENEA offered me an enriching journey into my past, intricately linked to the surname Rudolf. Analyzing both autosomal DNA and Y-DNA led to a discovery of Central European heritage. This journey intertwined with the profound historical and geographical contexts of my ancestry has deepened my understanding of my lineage.
F. Rudolf
read moreRudolf: What does the surname Rudolf mean?
The last name Rudolf is of German descent and originated from the ancient Germanic personal name Hrodwulf, which is composed of two parts: "hrod" which means "renown" and "wulf" which means "wolf".
Therefore individuals with the Rudolf surname were commonly known to embody characteristics of power, leadership and power.
Rudolf also gained influence throughout Europe as it was the name of the legendary Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf I who reigned from 1273 to 1291. He is credited for stabilizing the Holy Roman Empire during a period of economic decline and countless religious battles.
The Rudolf family coat-of-arms features a black shield with a silver wolf with red tongue and claws. It’s also crowned with a golden helmet and adorned with a blue and silver mantling. This is symbolic of bravery and of a warrior, once again reinforcing the notion of the values of strength and courage associated with those holding the Rudolf surname.
Today, Rudolf is most commonly found in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. In Germany, the name ranks at #359 in popularity in the overall population, however in Austria it is much more common and the 34th most popular surname there. People with the Rudolf surname still retain the values of eminence, power, courage and leadership.
Order DNA origin analysisRudolf: Where does the name Rudolf come from?
The last name Rudolf is quite common today, mostly in Germanic speaking countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is also found in other countries in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States.
According to the analyses of the surname Rudolf in Forebears, the name Rudolf is most common in Germany where it is held by approximately 112,998 people. The number two most common country of origin is Austria (with approximately 19,561 people). Number three country of origin is Switzerland (with approximately 11,801 people).
The surname became famous through Emperor Rudolf I of Germany from 1273 to 1291. The history of the surname can be traced back to a family of nobility located in Saxony in the 14th century whose origin is from the area around Worms and Mainz. The family became known as "von Rudolf" and is one of the members of the Uradel class, which is the oldest family of nobility in Central Europe.
Rudolf is one of the most common surnames in Europe and is carried by thousands of people all around the world, from its original homeland in Germany to the distant lands of the United States and Canada. It is also considered one of the oldest surnames in Europe with a history going back centuries.
Variations of the surname Rudolf
The surname Rudolf is commonly thought to have German or Dutch origins. In German the spelling of the surname usually appears as Rudolph, while in Dutch the spelling is often Rodulph or Rudulph. The surname has also been spellings include Rotulph, Ruthorf, Rudolfo, and Rudhoff.
Variations of this surname due to phonetic changes as it passed through different languages include Rudolphe, Rodolfo, Rodoulph, Roodolph, Roodolf, Redolf, and Rudhof.
In some parts of Northern and Eastern Europe, the surname also appears as Radivojevic, Radovic, Radosavljevic, Radosav and Rados in Serbia; Radović, Raduša, Radušić, and Radulus in Croatia; Radovič, Radul, Radulk, and Radult in Slovakia; and Radoslav, Radolovel, Radoslave, and Radolijevic in Russia.
In the French speaking world the surname is often spelled Rodolph, Rondolf, Roudolph, and Rodolphe, with Rodo and Rudulphin as variants.
In Spanish speaking countries the surname is often spelled Rodrigo, Roderico, Ruderico, Roderigo, Ruderigo, Rodrico, Rudrico, Rodrigo, and Rudrigo.
In Italian variations often include Rodolfo, Rugolfo, Rudolfo, and Rugolio.
In Scandinavia variants include Rolf, Rudolfsen, Rolff, Rudolfson, Rudolf, Rolfs, and Rodolf.
This list is by no means exhaustive - as with most surnames - there are numerous regional and linguistic variations for Rudolf, some of which are thought to have particular meanings. Consequently, when tracing Rudolf ancestors it is important to consider these variants in addition to the commonly used spelling, Rudolph.
Famous people with the name Rudolf
- Karl Rudolf: German philosopher of law
- Vince Rudolph: American football player
- Lewi Rudolf: Dutch SVB/FOXVANGER 3D graphics animation specialist
- Willow Rudolf: Concept artist
- Ingrid Rudolf: Swiss entrepreneur and investor
- Ahsoka Tano (birth name Ashla Rudolf): Fictional character in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"
- Bruno Rudolf: German resistance fighter in World War II
- Atahualpa Rudolf: German-Ecuadorian professional boxer
- David Rudolf: American lawyer
- Blaine Rudolf: Canadian actor and producer