Surname Gotfridt - Meaning and Origin
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Gotfridt: What does the surname Gotfridt mean?
Gotfridt is a German surname derived from the old German personal name Gotafrid, which translates to "God's Peace". The surname was most common in Prussia during the 18th and 19th centuries, and is recorded as a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from a given name used to identify a particular family line.
The Gotfridt surname originated as a derivative of the Germanic tribal name of the Goths, and is probably derived from the Proto-Germanic words "gud-frithu", which translates to "peace of the tribe." It is possible that the family carrying the surname may have been of noble status, indicating that knowledge of the Goths and their tribal language might have been a status symbol in some circles.
The Gotfridt surname is still common today in Prussia and surrounding regions. In Germany, the most common spelling is Gotfredt.
Other variations of the surname include Gotfreud, Gotfried, Gotfride, Gotfroh, Gottfrid, Goetfried, Goetfride, Gothfrid, Gouffrid, Gotfred, and Gottfried.
The surname Gotfridt carries with it a strong sense of family pride and history and those bearing the name are likely to be highly conscious of their Prussian ancestry and culture.
Order DNA origin analysisGotfridt: Where does the name Gotfridt come from?
Gotfridt is a surname of Scandinavian origin, thought to have originated from the ancient Swedish-German region known as Gotland. The last name is still relatively common in Europe, especially around the Nordic countries. In Scandinavia, Gotfridt is currently the 264th most common last name. It is also popular in Germany, with many immigrants having brought it to the country.
The United States also has a large population of Gotfridts. Although the name is not as popular as it once was, it is still seen in America today. According to the Social Security Administration, there were 2,155 people with the last name Gotfridt in the US census of 2000.
Canada is home to a small population of Gotfridts as well. According to the Canada 2001 census, there were just 95 people registered with the surname.
Other countries where the name is still found today include France, Belgium and the Netherlands. No matter the country, the majority of people with the last name of Gotfridt are of Scandinavian origin.
Variations of the surname Gotfridt
Gotfridt is an Old Germanic surname, originating from two elements: "Gōd-," meaning "God," and "frīda," meaning "peaceful." Thus, it's mainly is translated to mean "peace of God."
Variants of the surname Gotfridt include Goetfrid, Götfried, Gotfritt, Gootfried, Gotfryd, Gottfried, Gottfridt, Gottfriedt, Gottfryd, Gotthardt, Gothard, Gottred, Goethard, Goethar and Grabert.
Surnames of similar origin often include Gottfriedsen, Guddorf, Gudorf, Godar, Gottorff, Gotfritson, Gottsch, Goetsch or Guderyahn. Additionally, variations such as Godert, Gudry, Guderyahn or Gudion may be derived from Gotfridt or its variants.
Variant spellings and culture-specific modifications to the surname can also be found around the world. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, the variants of Gotfridt are often written Gotthard, Göthe, Goethe, Goetheer and Goether. In the Netherlands, the spelling GotFrank or Gothrank may be found. In France, Gotfridt can be found written as Gottfroi, Gottfroy or Gottfruy.
Etymology of Gotfridt’s origin and its many variants provides a unique opportunity to trace the history of different branches of the same family. Thus, if you have the Gotfridt surname, don’t forget to research its origin and learn more about the unique cultural variations of the same name around the world.
Famous people with the name Gotfridt
- Stepan Gotfridt: Ambassador from the Republic of Belarus to the United States from 2006 to 2009.
- Sven Gotfridt: Swedish composer, music producer and songwriter.
- Jürgen Gotfridt: German footballer and Olympic bronze medalist in Football at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
- Alice Gotfridt: Swedish actress in films such as Skogvaktaren in 2017, Trapparen in 1998 and 31 in 2013.
- Gunnar Gotfridt: Norwegian conductor and bassoonist.
- Gebhard Gotfridt: German sculptor and engraver active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Martin Gotfridt: German historian and classical archaeologist, wrote several books such as Der Hellenismus and Das Erbe der Antike.
- Yogi Gotfridt: Danish journalist, author and entrepreneur.
- Alfred Gotfridt: Austrian pharmacist and founder of the Gotfridt pharmacy in Vienna in 1866.
- Mario Gotfridt: German novelist and short-story writer, best known for his The Rainman Trilogy and The German Double.