Surname Göhrlich - Meaning and Origin
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Göhrlich: What does the surname Göhrlich mean?
The last name Göhrlich is a German-language toponymic name derived from the word "Göhr," which means “sheltered area or glade” in German. Thus, Göhrlich is an occupational name, referring to the folks who lived in or near such a location. In some cases, it may even be used as a patronymic surname, meaning it was derived from the given name of the father.
Over time, the spelling of this name has changed slightly like many other surnames in the German-speaking world. During the Middle Ages, this name was spelled in various ways, such as Görlich, Görlitz, Görhle, and Göhren.
In addition to Germany, Göhrlich is also found in Austria and the Czech Republic. While the written form of the name often gets changed, the meaning is still the same. The origin of the Göhrlich family is still unknown, but it is likely they originally came from eastern Germany and the eastern provinces of the Holy Roman Empire.
Today, Göhrlich is considered rare in Germany. Despite its rarity, it has become quite widespread, with over 150 family members living in Germany alone. This last name is also present in other countries throughout Europe, including Austria, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, as well as in the United States and Canada.
Overall, Göhrlich is a very old German-language surname with a unique meaning. It was derived from the word Göhr, which translates to “sheltered area or glade.” This occupational name referred to the people who lived in or near such a glade. Although it is still rare today, it can be found in many parts of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisGöhrlich: Where does the name Göhrlich come from?
The last name Göhrlich is most common in Germany today, with the highest frequency located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. According to the German organization Genealogische Assoziation Lippe-Detmold e.V., or GALDA, the last name Göhrlich was likely derived from “Göhre,” which means “spiky” in German, and was most likely the name of a location or geographic feature in a region of Germany.
Göhrlich is a relatively uncommon name throughout Germany, but much more prevalent in the southern region of Baden-Württemberg. About 1422 of the 9,415 people with the last name Göhrlich reside in Baden-Württemberg, mainly around Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. In Karlsruhe, an additional 303 individuals with that last name reportedly live there, while Stuttgart has around 211 Göhrlich individuals. Additionally, the Freiburg area also has a significant population of Göhrlich individuals, with around 233 living there.
Göhrlich is also a common last name in the small land-locked Principality of Liechtenstein, where around 110 people have the last name Göhrlich. Also, in the northern part of Switzerland, around 16 people have reported to have the last name Göhrlich living in the area surrounding Zürich. It is unclear how this last name became more common in Liechtenstein and parts of Switzerland than in most other regions of Europe, but it could be because of historical migration from the southern regions of Germany.
Variations of the surname Göhrlich
Göhrlich is a Germanic surname, and variations of the spelling include Goehrich and Goehring. It is also sometimes spelled Göhrig.
Göhrlich is derived from a word meaning ‘belonging to the god(s)’. This indicates that the ancestors of people who carry this surname were likely to have have had a strong religious background.
Göhrlich may have originated in Bavaria or northern Germany and is most common in modern-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. People with this surname emigrated to the United States with the earliest recorded immigration being in 1709.
Variant spellings of the surname Göhrlich include Goehrich, Göhrig, Göhring, and Gehrig. These spellings can also be found with the added suffixes ‘er’, ‘ke’, and ‘ck’. Other surnames with the same origin or that have derived from the original surname include Göhrs, Göhrssen, and Göring.
Göhrlich is a family name that is steeped in heritage and has multiple variations in spelling. The multiple spellings are evidence of the historical and modern day migrations from Germany to many other locations. The different spellings and surnames that have derived from this surname all represent the same rich and influential heritage.
Famous people with the name Göhrlich
- Christoph Göhrlich: German actor, known for roles in films such as ‘The Baader Meinhof Complex’, ‘Napola’, and ‘Dark’.
- Lothar Göhrlich: Austrian actor, known for his roles in the films ‘Curtain Call’ and ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’.
- Regina Göhrlich: German artist and interior designer.
- Paul Göhrlich: Austrian painter and art historian.
- Ernst Göhrlich: Jewish lawyer and politician in British-occupied Vienna in the late 1940s-50s.
- Reinhold Göhrlich: Austrian composer, mainly known for writing musicals.
- Andreas Göhrlich: German cabinet maker and papermaker.
- Mathias Göhrlich: German architect, known for his work on modern apartment buildings.
- Anton Göhrlich: Austrian chess master and lawyer, an early member of the International Correspondence Chess Federation.
- Johann Göhrlich: German organ builder, known for constructing many historic pipe organs.