Surname Volber - Meaning and Origin
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Volber: What does the surname Volber mean?
The last name Volber is a German surname associated with the Württemberg area of Germany. The name itself originates from the Middle High German word “v?lber,” meaning “plowman” which was derived from the word “v?lbe”, meaning “to plow”.
This suggests that the surname was likely applied to someone who was a worker of the soil. It is likely that many of the first bearers of the Volber name were common peasants who were employed as agricultural laborers.
The name Volber may also have derived from a nickname derived from the Middle High German words “vol” or “v?l” meaning “power” or “might”. In this case, it is likely that the name was used to distinguish those who were strong, powerful, or courageous.
The earliest version of the name found in surviving records is Volprand Volberries which dates back to the year 1289. In later years, the name also appeared in a variety of different versions, such as Volbrigt and Vollbrigt.
Today the Volber name can be found in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other parts of Central Europe. It is also sometimes found in the United States and Canada, both of which have received immigrants from these parts of Europe in recent years.
All in all, the Volber surname has a variety of origins and suggests that those who bore the name were likely strong-willed, hardworking individuals.
Order DNA origin analysisVolber: Where does the name Volber come from?
The last name Volber is not an especially common surname today; it is found mostly in Germany, though there are a few scattered instances of it in other countries as well. In Germany, Volber is most often found in the area surrounding the city of Mannheim in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. That region is home to the largest population of Volbers, with many still bearing the surname in places like Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, and Weinheim.
Outside of Germany, Volber is a much rarer surname. In Canada, a small handful of immigrants from U.S. and Canadian-born people of German descent brought the surname with them, resulting in small clusters of families with the last name in Alberta and British Columbia. In the United States, Volber is still a rare surname, with only about 50 people bearing the name widespread across the country, from California to Maine.
In general, the Volber surname is rarely found outside its home in Germany. This is especially true for families with a solid history of bearing the name. Usually, the name was brought over to new countries by emigrants, but these instances are rare and the Volber family lines have since become blended into the local populations.
Variations of the surname Volber
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Volber are; Volbere, Volbre, Vollbre, Volksbre, Volvisbre, Vollbere, Volberer, Volksbere, Volbrer, Volksberer, Volksbererer, Vollberer, Volbrere and Volberg.
Variant spellings of the surname Volber like Volbere, Volbre and Vollbre recount to a habitational name indicating that a person was a resident of a settlement called Volbere, near Lotharingen in the Netherlands. Alternatively the surname could be derived from the German compound words of vol (folk) and per (father), so could be seen to indicate a 'father to the people'. Further to this, the surname may be of castle origin, deriving from a residence near a fort, while Volksbre and Volvisbre variants could in fact indicate the same castle origin, with the terms 'folk' and 'viscount' being interchangeable.
Volberer and Volksbererer are derived from an Old German spelling of the name which is believed to be a combination of 'folk' and 'berer' or 'bear', and could be interpreted as 'the guardian of the people'. Similarly, Volksbere and Volksberer are derived from an Old German spelling, containing the words 'folk' and 'bere', which could indicate the same meaning.
The surname Volbrer is likely a diminutive of the surname Volber and could be interpreted as meaning 'the little father of the people'. Lastly, Volberg is a possible variant spelling of the surname which derives from the given name Volher, bel to mean 'powerful army' or 'army of the forest'.
Famous people with the name Volber
- Michael Volberding: American composer and pianist.
- Betty Volberding: Canadian former politician.
- Günter Volber: German painter and graphic artist.
- Josef Volber: German football manager and former player.
- Armin Volber: German artist and photographer.
- Karl Volber: German sculptor and porcelain painter.
- Tilman Volber: German former cyclist.
- Wilfried Volber: German former football player.
- Erwin Volber: German sunglass designer.
- Mark Volberding: American management professor and Kenneth & Marjorie Blanchard Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.