Surname Kuntzel - Meaning and Origin
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Kuntzel: What does the surname Kuntzel mean?
The last name Kuntzel is a German surname which is believed to have originated from the Middle High German word "kunczele", meaning "owl". It is likely that the original bearers of the name were of noble birth or had some connection to the church.
The earliest recorded use of the surname dates back to the 12th century when a man named Konrad von Kuntzel was documented in the Bavarian region of Würzburg. It quickly spread in the ensuing centuries, particularly to areas of eastern Germany, and it is now most common in the Schleswig-Holstein region of the country.
The name Kuntzel is also known to have a long and proud military tradition. In the 15th century, the Kuntzel family were closely associated with the Swabian League and played a significant role in establishing peace between German cities in the wake of the Thirty Years' War. The Kuntzels were the recipients of many awards, the most prominent of which is the Iron Cross first class, which was given to Johann Albrecht Kuntzel for his bravery and service in the German-Russian War following the Napoleonic era.
Throughout its centuries-old history, the Kuntzel family has been closely associated with military and noble families as well as with the Church. The name Kuntzel is synonymous with bravery and courage, as well as loyalty and honor.
Order DNA origin analysisKuntzel: Where does the name Kuntzel come from?
The last name Kuntzel is most commonly found in Germany today. It is a variation of the surname "Kuntz" which has various other possible spellings, such as Coontz or Cuntz. The name is derived from a nickname given to an individual of short stature, which in German is Kunz (or Kuntz) which means "little one".
The highest density of Kuntzels in Germany can be found in the state of Baden-Württemberg, particularly in the cities of Freiburg and Stuttgart. It is also quite common in the states of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Outside of Germany, the name has spread in various parts of the world such as to the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil. Here, it is particularly popular in cities with large German-speaking populations such as St. Louis, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Denver.
Historically, the surname has been extremely rare and only appeared in the 13th century, although its spelling has since varied. It was much more common in the 19th century, but has since declined for unknown reasons.
Variations of the surname Kuntzel
The surname Kuntzel is a German variant of the much older and more common surname Kuntz. It has its roots in the Old Germanic name Conzo, which is derived from the Latin word "consors" meaning "partner" or "companion".The surname is also found in various spellings and variants around the world. In Switzerland, it is spelled Kunz or Kuntsch, while in Austria it is commonly known as Kuntzmann.
In the United States and Canada, the surname is often spelled Kuntz. This spelling is most likely the result of the influence of English language phonetics on the pronunciation of the original German surname. Other variants of Kuntz are Kantz, Kantz, and Kuntzle.
The surname Kuntzel is also sometimes found in its original form as Kuntz. In some cases, even the spelling is a bit different with a “z” instead of a “t”. In other cases, the surname might still be pronounced as Kuntz even though it has been adapted to a different spelling such as Cantz or Kantzel.
In Poland, the surname is spelled Kunc or Kunce. Similarly, in Czech Republic, the name is pronounced as Kunc. In Lithuania, the name Kunce is also used.
All of these names are closely related, all derived from the original Germanic surname, Kuntz. As a result, the roughly 200 bearers of this unique name can trace their roots back to a common ancestor, regardless of the spelling of their surname.
Famous people with the name Kuntzel
- Gerhard Kuntzel: German playwright and screenwriter.
- Elke Kuntzel: German actress.
- Julian Kuntzel: German actor.
- Ray Kuntzel: American Olympic athlete.
- Gerhard Kuntzel: German scientist and professor of mathematics in the Technical University of Darmstadt.
- Friedrich Kuntzel: German composer, author, and musicologist.
- Fritz Kuntzel: German photographer and filmmaker.
- Günter Kuntzel: German canoe slalom racer.
- Heinz Kuntzel: German composer and former Dean of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg.
- Roswitha Kuntzel: German actress.