Surname Engelhardt - Meaning and Origin

A Personal Journey into Genetics: Unraveling the Engelhardt Surname with iGENEA

Recently, I underwent a DNA test at iGENEA, venturing into the illuminating world of personal genomics. Through its impressive accuracy, iGENEA provided an in-depth understanding of my ancestry and was instrumental in revealing the historical context and significance of my surname, Engelhardt.

U. Engelhardt

Engelhardt: What does the surname Engelhardt mean?

The last name Engelhardt is of German origin, first found in Silesia and parts of Bavaria. It is derived from the personal name Engelhard, which is composed of two elements. The first element, Engel, is derived from the Middle High German "Engel", meaning "angel". The second element, "Hard", is an adjective for courage, bravery and boldness.

Therefore, the literal translation of Engelhardt is "angel-courage" or "angel-boldness", which signifies a brave or courageous person with a strong connection to the divine. It is believed that the name was often given to describe a brave or devout person with a good moral character.

The Engelhardt name was first found in Prussia, where its ancestral family were recorded in ancient chronicles. By the 19th century, this noble name had spread to include many prominent families in the surrounding German regions. These families held in high esteem during turbulent times and some of them served in the military or held positions in local government.

In modern times, the name Engelhardt is still prevalent throughout central Europe, with various spellings including Englehart and Engelhart. Despite its humble beginnings, the Engelhardt name is still an enduring symbol of strength, courage and faith.

Engelhardt: Where does the name Engelhardt come from?

The last name Engelhardt is most commonly found in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 2019, it was the 204th most common name in Germany, with 15,058 bearers, making it more common than words like Müller, Schmidt, and Schneider. It is also found in smaller numbers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Denmark, Latvia, and France as a result of emigration. In the United States, the name has been present since the early 20th century, where today it is the 6,128th most common surname. As of the 2018 census, there were 23,524 people living in the US with the last name Engelhardt. Most of these people live in states like New York, Pennsylvania, California, and Texas, but the name is scattered across the entire country.

Variations of the surname Engelhardt

The surname Engelhardt is of Germanic origins and is derived from the given name Engelhard. Variations and alternate spellings of the surname Engelhardt include Engelheart, Engelhart, Engelheartt, Englhard, Engleheart, Anglehart, Ingelhardt, and Angilhart.

Originally, Engelhardt was an occupational surname, derived from the Middle High German root “ingil”, meaning “angel”. Those bearing the Engelhardt surname were likely servants of the clergy, working in the church, or thought to possess angel-like qualities.

Although Engelhardt is a relatively rare surname in the United States, it is common in Germany. In some locations, the name has evolved and is now spelled Englert.

The Engelhardt surname is also common in Scandinavian countries, molded from a nickname and referring to an “ingenious” or possibly “noble-born” individual. In German, “Engel” means an angel or messenger, and “hardt” or “hart” is a nickname for a strong man.

In England, Engelhardt has become a much more rare surname, although it can occasionally be found spelled “Angland”.

In Hungary the name Englert is common and all the above variants are likely to be found there.

In France, Angilbert is one variant of Engelhardt.

In Austria, Engelhard is a common variant of the Engelhardt surname.

In Russia, the surname is spelled Anglehart.

The Swedish and Danish variants of Engelhardt are Engelhard and Engelhardt.

In Switzerland, Ingelhart and Englehart are the most common variants of Engelhardt.

The surname Engelhardt is also common in the Netherlands, where it is spelled Ingelhardt and Engelhart.

No matter what variant of the Engelhardt surname appears in a genealogical records, they all belong to the same family origin.

Famous people with the name Engelhardt

• Jim Engelhardt: an American comic book artist who has worked on landmark titles including Marvel's Star Wars and The Incredible Hulk, and DC's Batman series.
• Kurt Engelhardt: Chief United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans.
• August Engelhardt: a German health food enthusiast and advocate of natural food and nudity, he was sometimes called "the Banana Apostle".
• Bernd Engelhardt: a German music producer, songwriter, composer, and arranger.
• Dennis Engelhardt: a German Football player who played for Hamburger SV in the 80s.
• Valentino Engelhardt: a German fashion designer and couturier.
• Jürgen Engelhardt: a German painter and sculptor.
• Laura Engelhardt: a German music producer, engineer, and arranger.
• Carola Engelhardt: a German film actress and Producer.
• Gil Frederick Engelhardt Jr.: a clergyman in the Episcopal Church in the United States, the first African American to serve in that church.

Other surnames

EngelhardEngelhart