Surname Wölfle - Meaning and Origin
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Venturing into My Celtic & German Roots: The History and Culture Behind My Surname 'Wölfle' Uncovered through iGENEA DNA Test
Recently, I delved into my ancestral history through an iGENEA DNA test, and the discoveries made about my surname, Wölfle, opened up a potpourri of historical and cultural intrigue. Tracing its roots to Old High German and the Celtic past, the analysis turned out to be a captivating journey touching the essence of 'little wolf' in Southern Germany's heartland.
V. Wölfle
read moreWölfle: What does the surname Wölfle mean?
The last name Wölfle is a German occupational surname derived from the word wölfer, meaning a shepherd. The name refered to people who were shepherds, working with sheep and goats to graze them in the fields. It was a job that was important to the economy in Germany during the Middle Ages.
The family name Wölfle is quite rare in Germany and can be found mainly in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is also quite popular in the United States, originally brought over by German immigrants in the mid-1800s.
The name Wölfle can also have a deeper meaning. In some parts of German culture, wolves are thought to represent intelligence, courage, strength, loyalty, and deep love. It has even been known to have spiritual qualities. In addition, the name is associated with the legend of Romulus and Remus, the twin founders of Rome, who were nourished and protected by a she-wolf.
Due to its origin as an occupational surname and its spiritual and cultural importance, the name Wölfle holds considerable significance and is worth bearing.
Order DNA origin analysisWölfle: Where does the name Wölfle come from?
The last name Wölfle is most commonly found in the south western region of Germany and the neighbouring countries of Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and France. It is thought that the name may have originated from the surname Wolf, meaning “wolf-like” in German. This surname is found mainly in the German-speaking parts of Europe and is featured on the list of most frequent surnames in Germany.
The German Nationality Room of the University of Pittsburgh has an historical collection of documents featuring the surname Wölfle, which includes a list of common names from the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. Furthermore, records of the surname Wölfle can also be found scattered across Europe in various church and civil records, such as those of South France, where it is found mainly in the departments of Alsace and Bas-Rhin.
The name Wölfle is also present in the United States of America, mainly along the East Coast States. The US Census Bureau recorded 9 individuals by the name of Wölfle living in the US in the 2010 National Census which was the most recently published census.
In conclusion, the last name Wölfle is commonly found in the south western regions of Germany and the neighbouring countries of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and France. It may have originated from the surname Wolf, meaning “wolf-like” in German, and can also be found in the United States.
Variations of the surname Wölfle
The surname Wölfle is believed to be an ornamental German surname, originating from the German word “Wölfl”, which translates to “wolf”. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin includes Wolf, Wolfe, Wölfel, Wölffel, Wölflin, Wolffel, Wolfle, Wolfling, Wölflin, Wolfs, Woolf, Woolfen, Wulf, Wolff, Wollf, Woolfes and Wolfflin.
The surname Wölfle can also be found in other languages with various spellings to match. This includes Woulfe (Gaelic), Wolff (Yiddish), Ulf (Scandinavia) and Lupul (Romanian). These variations are likely derived from the original European immigrant that bore the surname Wolf during their settlement of foreign countries.
Surname spelling variations can happen for a variety of reasons. It could be because of foreign customs or accents that have been picked up while travelling, living in another culture or due to poor record-keeping in earlier times. Linguistic similarities between languages can also cause a surname to change. Additionally, many spelling variations exist because the English language was not standardised until the mid-eighteenth century.
In some cases, due to similarities in language structure, the same surnames in different languages can have different spellings. For instance, the English Wölfle could be written as 'Wolf' in German. In this way, it is possible for even similar sounding names to be spelled in a different way.
It is thus evident that there are many variations and spellings of the same origins for the surname Wölfle. The variation of the spellings of this surname reflects the rich history, culture and migrations of the Wölfle family over time.
Famous people with the name Wölfle
- Knut Wölfle: German banker, politician and businessman
- Albert Wölfle: German philosopher
- Johann Baptist Wölfle: German Baroque composer
- Caroline Wölfle: German artist, sculptor, printmaker and designer
- Rebecca Wölfle: German architect and urban planner
- Ernest Wölfle: German hydraulic engineer and scholar
- Josef Wölfle: Bavarian artist
- Friederike Wölfle: German singer
- Halina Wölfle: German actress
- Ulrich Wölfle: German physician and professor of medicine
- Lothar Wölfle: German caricature artist
- Marty Wölfle: German music producer, DJ and rapper
- Niklaus Wölfle: Swiss ski race director
- Bernd Wölfle: Austrian volleyball player
- Yvonne Wölfle: German journalist and author