Surname Vogdt - Meaning and Origin

Vogdt: What does the surname Vogdt mean?

The origin of the last name Vogdt (or Vogt) is German. In its most basic form, Vogt is derived from the Germanic word for "spear." During the Middle Ages, individuals known as Vogts were responsible for oversee administrative duties within the German states.

The roles and responsibilities of Vogts evolved over time, but they typically managed financial matters, acted as mediators for disputes, and directly reported to the Prince or King. The term Vogt is also sometimes found in the form Vögte—a higher version of the same title, indicating a greater amount of authority.

Vogt is also seen as a reference to a forester, one who is responsible for taking care of trees and other natural vegetation on a given piece of land. This meaning is found mainly in southern Germany and Austria. In addition to this, some progenitors of the Vogt surname may also have descended from a person who was dubbed "Vogt" as an honorable title, in the same way as a knight may have been dubbed with a title of knighthood.

Overall, the Vogt surname is believed to represent authority, respect, and class. It is still found in various parts of Germany, as well as in parts of Switzerland and Austria.

Vogdt: Where does the name Vogdt come from?

The name Vogdt is most commonly found in Germany today. It is an old Germanic name, which derives from the Middle Low German words “voged” and “voght”, which mean “vow” or “protection”. The name is believed to have originated with medieval times, when it referred to the person who mediated disputes between people or communities. This term was later used for an occupational title, such as a magistrate, and eventually transformed into a surname.

Throughout German history, the name has been mainly concentrated in the western region of the country. This can be seen in records from the 1500s, where Vogdt was a surname of some of the prominent families of that region. Examples include the families of Henry the Lion von Vogdt and Adam Vogdt, an officer in the Cavalry of Brandenburg in 1630.

Today, Vogdt is still predominately found within Germany, with the majority of people bearing the surname living in the southern and western parts of the country. The highest concentration of individuals with the name live in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Wurttemberg, and Bavaria.

As with most surnames, Vogdt has been, and continues to be, adapted to other languages, whereby it is spelled slightly differently. Examples of these forms of the name include Voht, Voged, Vohtd, and Vohteur. The name can be found mainly in Europe as well as select countries across the world, with those bearing it often having German ancestry.

Variations of the surname Vogdt

The surname Vogdt is a Germanic occupational surname—Vogdtavian or Vodgder in Dutch—derived from the Old High German word ‘vogt,’ meaning ‘guardian or steward.’ Variants of the surname Vogdt are Voyt, Voight, Fought, Voyer/Voyer, Vaught, Voigt, Voogt, Fugt, Fogle, Faught, Fugate, and Fahlt. In Germany, multiple spellings are possible and have emerged over time, such as Vogt, Vogtt, Voged, Foged, and Fogt. Furthermore, the diverse spelling variations of the Vogdt surname are commonplace due to vast immigration, followed by adapting to various dialects, phonetical spellings, and official language conventions, all resulting in multiple genealogies—known as a patronymic, which means ‘descendants of’—derived from the surname Vogdt.

Spellings for the Vogdt surname range from variant Faught, going back to the 1600s, to Voigt, Voogt, and Voyt, commonly found among German-Americans today. The origins of the surname are mainly found throughout northern Germany and the Netherlands, although the wider spread of the name is found in countries like Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Additionally, alternative spellings Vogdt, Vaught, Voyer/Voyer, Faught, Fugate, Fugt, and Fogle are also found in the United States.

The most prominent genus of the surname Vogdt in Germany are the Voigts, which have held noble positions for centuries. The American branch of the Vogdt family includes John Voigt and Augustus Voigt, amongst many other immigrants to the United States in the mid-1800s. The tandem of variant spellings Vogdt, Voigt, and Voight are most common in North America, with machinist Herman R. Vaught and his Vaught Manufacturing Company in full operation in San Francisco, California.

The Vogdt surname is a unique and multifaceted name with a worldwide presence, making genealogical research a challenge but a rewarding experience.

Famous people with the name Vogdt

• Anna-Katharina Vogdt, Actress
• David Vogdt, Entrepreneur
• Arne Vogdt, Politician from Germany
• Lena Vogdt, Author
• Guido Wilhelm Vogdt, Politician from Germany
• Friederike von Vogdt, Actress
• Jacques Vogdt, Composer
• Peter Vogdt, Actor
• Lothar Vogdt, Actor
• Robert Vogdt, Photographer
• Sigrid Vogdt, Neurology Researcher
• Tobias Vogdt, Politician
• Ursula Vogdt, Actress
• Jerome Vogdt, Artist
• Hans-Gert Vogdt, Actor
• Karin Vogdt, Television Host
• Anja Vogdt, Film Producer
• Helga Vogdt, Expert in Archeology
• Steve Vogdt, Musician
• Hans Vogdt, Film Director

Other surnames

Vogd