Surname Gottwald - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Gottwald: What does the surname Gottwald mean?
Gottwald is an ancient German surname derived from the personal name Gottwald, which is composed of two elements. The first element, "Gott", is the German word for God and the second element, "Wald", is a German word meaning 'power', 'rule', or 'lord'. Put together, Gottwald translates to something like 'power of God'.
In some older contexts, Gottwald was also associated with "God's forest". It could represent a person who had a connection to or responsibility for ensuring the protection and upkeep of a nearby religious area. This could be understood to mean someone who managed the lands of a monastery or was a guard of some kind in an ancient forest.
Gottwald as a surname is found throughout Germany in the present day, as well as in other German speaking countries such as Austria or Switzerland. It is also recorded in Poland, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
In the United States, Gottwald is a relatively uncommon surname. It is mainly found among the descendants of German immigrants who arrived in the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisGottwald: Where does the name Gottwald come from?
The last name Gottwald is most commonly associated with the Czech Republic and Central and Eastern Europe. It is derived from the German given name, 'Gottwald,' which means "God's Rule" or "God's Reign." There are approximately 5,000 Gottwalds living in the Czech Republic today, making it one of the more common surnames there.
Gottwalds can also be found in varying amounts in Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, and Romania. In many of these countries, there are scattered populations of Gottwalds, usually no more than a few hundred people. The exception would be the Czech Republic, where Gottwald is one of the 50 most common surnames.
In the United States, Gottwald is a much less common surname. According to a 2005 census, only 882 individuals had the surname in the US. However, this number has likely grown in the last 15 years due to immigration from Central and Eastern Europe to the United States.
Overall, the last name Gottwald today is most commonly associated with Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the Czech Republic, and is not very common in the United States.
Variations of the surname Gottwald
The surname Gottwald has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The spelling Gottwald is the original German version of the name, while Gotvelt is the Dutch variant. In Czech and Slovakian, the spelling is Gottvald or Gotvald. Gottwaldov is the Czech variation and the alternative spellings in Czech and Slovakian language are Gottvalt and Gotvalt.
In Polish, the surname is Gottwald or Gotwald, while in France the spelling is Gottwald or Gotvald. German-speaking countries use the spelling Gottwald, while in Hungary it is Gottwald or Gotvald.
Surnames which share the same origin include Gadbaw and Godbold. Other related names are Godbould, Gautvelta, Gebhold, Gevedon, Gudbould, and Guitbald.
Gottwald is also the spelling used in English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, it is sometimes spelled Gotwald or Godwald.
In Austria-Hungary, the name was shortened to Gott during the 19th century. It is now also a common given name in German-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Gottwald
- Max Gottwald: Max Gottwald was a German-born film producer and director. He was credited on over 100 films and directed ten films between 1917 and 1933.
- Karl Gottwald: Karl Gottwald was an Austrian soldier and politician who moved to Czechoslovakia after World War II and was the Chairman of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1945 to 1953.
- Thomas R. Gottwald: Thomas R. Gottwald is an American chemist and professor at Virginia Tech who is an expert in polymer science and an elected Fellow of the American Chemical Society.
- Ryan Gottwald: Ryan Gottwald is an American actor best known for his roles on television shows such as ER, Without a Trace, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
- Chris Gottwald: Chris Gottwald is an American playwright known for his off-Broadway plays such as God’s Country and his adaptation of the classic novel Pollyanna.
- Mark Gottwald: Mark Gottwald is an American film producer best known for his work on films such as Die Hard With a Vengeance, Batman Begins, and The Last Samurai.
- Mike Gottwald: Mike Gottwald is an American computer scientist and professor at the University of Colorado who specializes in geoinformatics.
- Klaus Gottwald: Klaus Gottwald was an Austrian author and publisher.
- Anna Gottwald: Anna Gottwald was a German jeweller and painter.
- Heather Gottwald: Heather Gottwald is an American television writer and producer who has written for shows such as Gilmore Girls and No Ordinary Family.