Surname Gottschald - Meaning and Origin
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Gottschald: What does the surname Gottschald mean?
The surname Gottschald is of German origin and derives from the word "Gottschall" which means "warrior". As such, it is likely that those who buffered it were of warrior or noble extraction. It is possible too that it was bestowed upon people who exhibited traits of bravery and ability in battle.
The Gottschald family is particularly known in the German region of Schleswig-Holstein, where the name is thought to originate. It remains a popular surname all over Germany today. The name is recorded in a variety of forms including; Gettschald, Gotschall, Gottschall, Gotzschal, Gotzschold, and Gadtschalk.
Gottschald is an occupational surname which was most likely derived from the job of being a "Gotteschalen" or "Gottesdiener", meaning a servant to the feudal lord, who was responsible for maintaining order during battle and on the lord's estate. Other less common meanings are "Gott-schalk", which would signify a person who was a leper, and "Gottes Schuldner" in German, which translates to "God's Debtor".
In summary, the last name Gottschald has a long history and is of German origin. Its main meaning refers to a warrior or someone of noble extraction, although other meanings have been suggested too, such as being a servant to the feudal lord or a leper. Its presence can still be found in some parts of Germany today.
Order DNA origin analysisGottschald: Where does the name Gottschald come from?
The last name Gottschald is most commonly found in Germany and Eastern Europe today. It is believed to date back to when most of Europe was divided by language-based regions, and it likely originated in East or Central Germany. The name can also be found in other European countries, such as the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, as well as in the United States, Canada, and Brazil.
Gottschald is generally a Bavarian, German, or Czech surname, derived from the old High German term of “Gottschalk” or “Gotteschalk". It was originally an occupational surname, commonly given to those with a religious role in the Church or monastery system of the Middle Ages. Later, the name was adopted to indicate certain social classes and occupations of those with a weaker social standing within the Germanic language regions.
Gottschald is a fairly common German surname, as it is found on German phone books and German genealogy records. According to one German genealogy source, it ranks 836th in popularity on the list of most common German surnames. In the United States, Gottschald is not as widely used, and, according to one American genealogy resource, it ranks less than 13,000 in popularity across all fifty states.
Variations of the surname Gottschald
The Gottschald surname has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. There are two main spellings of Gottschald: Gotteschal/Gottschald and Göttschald. Variants of the spelling include Gotteschalk, Gottschalck, Göttschal, Gottschalk and Göttschalk. Common surnames of the same origin are Gottsch, Gottenhaus, Gottschall, Gottsher, Gottche and Gottke.
The origin of the Gottschald surname can be traced back to the area of Brandenburg in the Middle Ages, specifically the Province of Pomerania, situated in the south-eastern edge of the Norddeutsches Tal which is part of the greater North German Plain region.
The word ‘Gottschalk’ is derived from two old German words, namely ‘got’ meaning God and ‘scalk’ which was used as a vocative case for Sal and Saxon names. Thus, the common meaning of Gottschalk is ‘servant of God’. The area of Brandenburg provided an ideal location for the German settlers to adopt the name as they worshipped God and were devoted to his service.
Many bearers of the surname had migrated to different parts of Europe and beyond, leading to the evolution of the Gottschald surname into multiple spellings and surnames of Germanic origin. Some notable people who have been born into the Gottschald family include: Rolf Gottschalk, a German athlete who won an Olympic silver medal; Maximillian Gottschalk, a German composer and conductor; and Joachim Gottschalk, a professor of Mathematics at the University of Leipzig.
Famous people with the name Gottschald
- Joel Gottschald: Standup Comic and Actor
- Ashley Gottschald: Influencer and Lifestyle Blogger
- Mike Gottschald: Professional Wrestler
- Inga Gottschald: German Politician
- Ed Gottschald: Professional Hockey Player
- Fred Gottschald: German-American Artist
- Faith Gottschald: Olympic Skier
- Marc Gottschald: Music Producer and Disc Jockey
- Lydia Gottschald: Professional Soccer Player
- Kurt Gottschald: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist