Surname Goldfuß - Meaning and Origin

Goldfuß: What does the surname Goldfuß mean?

The last name Goldfuß is of German origin and means "golden foot". It is often found as a metonymic occupational surname, given to a person who worked with gold, such as a goldsmith, moneyer or jeweler. It can also be a nickname for someone who was particularly agile or fast of foot.

The name is first recorded in the 14th century in cities throughout Germany, suggesting that it was in wide use as a surname at the time. It would have been derived from someone with a physical attribute related to gold, such as a gold-colored foot or a gold coin held between the toes.

The spelling of the name has changed over time, leading to many variations, such as Goldfuss, Goldfus, Goltfuss, Geldfuß, Gooldfus, Goeltzfus and Goldpfus.

Goldfuß has spread from its German origin to many other countries. In the United States, for example, there are many families with this surname. They can trace their ancestry to immigrants from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, all of which used the Goldfuß name.

Overall, the Goldfuß surname has a unique and interesting history that has spanned centuries and countries. It likely began as a physical description that became an identifying name for families in Germany and beyond.

Goldfuß: Where does the name Goldfuß come from?

The last name Goldfuß is most commonly found across Central and Eastern Europe. It first appeared in regions which span what is today known as Germany, Austria, and northern Italy. The name is particularly common in the mountainous regions of Austria, like Styria, and in Franconia and Bavaria in Germany. It is also found in parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Liechtenstein.

Outside of Europe, the Goldfuß surname is found in small pockets of South Africa and the United States. It is thought that it was brought to the United States, particularly Pennsylvania, by German immigrants in the 1700s.

Goldfuß is a family name which was derived from the German word for goldfoot, which was the name given to a person who made or sold either leather shoes or jewellery. It is possible that it derived from a profession taken up by a branch of the Goldfuß family.

Despite its Germanic origins, Goldfuß does not carry a particularly long lineage in the countries where it is common today. It is thought that the earliest Goldfuß immigrants to Central Europe originated primarily from the Swiss canton of Thurgau at the beginning of the 1500s.

Variations of the surname Goldfuß

Goldfuß is a German surname, and several spellings and variants of the name exist. The most common ones being Goldfuss, Goldfues, Goldfuchs, and Goldfus. People with this surname can also be found with the spelling variants such as Goldfuße, Goldfusz, and Goldfoos.

In its basic form, Goldfuß is derived from the German word for “foot,” which was common in many medieval German surnames referring to physical features that distinguished the holder from others. Goldfuß also evolved over time, as many German families altered their spelling of the name to appear more 'elite.'

The German word for “gold” can also be found in the surname Goldfuß. This could indicate that individuals with this name had some form of wealth or inherited privilege at one point or another. In addition, it may also have been an attempt to achieve social status.

Variations of the surname can be found as far back as the 15th Century. It was often used to distinguish branches of a family from one another. For instance, some families would incorporate 'fuss' or 'foot' into their name to indicate a particular branch of the family.

Though rare, there are some non-German variants of Goldfuß. Some examples include Goldfoot in the Netherlands, Goldhoff in Israel, and Goldfusz in Hungary. As Europe became more interconnected, variants of the original surname were passed down through different nations over time.

No matter what the variation, the surname Goldfuß is generally associated with an affluent family tree, and its many spellings and variants only further affirm this reputation.

Famous people with the name Goldfuß

• David Goldfuss: German footballer, who plays for FC Augsburg II.
• Julian Goldfuss: professional German footballer, currently playing for Dynamo Dresden.
• Andy Goldfuss: German professional footballer who played for clubs in England, West Germany and Israel.
• Julie Goldfuss: former German ice hockey player.
• Moisés Goldfuss: retired Israeli-born Brazilian footballer.
• Andreas Goldfuss: German cyclist and triathlete.
• Christian Goldfuss: German landscape painter in the Romantic line of painting.
• Daniel Goldfuss: Argentine-born German lawyer, who is the president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation.
• Maria Goldfuss: German writer, journalist and broadcaster.
• Bernhard Goldfuss: German businessman and entrepreneur from Berlin.
• Johann Matthias Goldfuss: German naturalist, zoologist, and geologist.
• Karl von Goldfuss: German original theorist and chemist best known for his work on gold-based pharmaceuticals.
• Johann Gottfried Ludwig Goldfuss: German mineralogist and professor of geology.
• Wolfgang Goldfuss: German actor and director.
• Sándor Goldfuss: Hungarian sculptor in the Beaux-Arts tradition.
• Abraham Goldfuss: German botanist and zoologist.
• Michael Goldfuss: German actor, director, and screenwriter.

Other surnames

GoldfuhsGoldfus