Surname Gültner - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'G'
Gültner: What does the surname Gültner mean?
Gültner is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word “gulten” meaning “to reward”. This likely suggests that the original bearer of the name earned some sort of recognition or reward for an accomplishment. Records from the 1300s shows that the earliest known record of the surname is linked to a Konrad Gültner, who was made a citizen of the city of Augsburg in 1342.
The surname predominantly occurs in Germany and Austria, where it often is spelled Gultner or Gultener. According to an analysis of census records, about 16,447 people in the two countries bear the name, with the majority being centered in Bavaria, followed by Baden-Wurttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Germany, visitors will often find various branches of a Gültner family living in small villages close to each other.
Today, the name Gültner is very rare in the area around Frankfurt am Main, but can still be found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and the Netherlands. It can also be found in various spellings across the Americas, from the United States to Latin America. Despite this, it is an uncommon surname in none of these regions.
Finally, it is worthy to note that the surname could also originate from an occupational source, specifically from people who gilded objects with gold, as “gültner” was a term used in the Middle Ages.
Order DNA origin analysisGültner: Where does the name Gültner come from?
Gültner is a common German surname among certain German-speaking regions in Europe. It is most closely associated with the central German region of Thuringia, where the name has been in continuous use since 1140 AD. In Thuringia, the Gültner surname is still one of the most commonly used surnames.
Gültner surnames are also scattered throughout other regions in Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Lower Saxony, due to the effects of migration. Outside of Germany, Gültner surnames are also found in parts of Austria, Switzerland, and even Poland.
For those of German descent living in the US, the Gültner surname is also found mainly among German-Americans living in the midwestern states of Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois, where large groups of Germans settled in the 19th century.
In any of these countries, it is possible to find individuals by the name Gültner, as the surname has become unusually popular due to its prevalence among German-speaking communities worldwide.
Variations of the surname Gültner
Gültner is a relatively rare German surname that is common in the south of the country. Historically, this name was often spelled Gueldner or Gueltner, though other variants of the same origin are sometimes used, such as Goeltner or Guldner.
In some incarnations, this surname has been Anglicized, such as Geldner, Gueltner, and Geltner. It is also often found in its gentle and hyphenated forms, including Gueldner, Gueldener, Guelden, Gueldener, Gueldmann, Gueltner, Gueltener, and Gueltman.
Because of its German origin, the name is also sometimes encountered in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch and Swedish. Gültner has been adopted in these languages as Goeltner, Gueltner, and Galtner. Additionally, in Denmark, the surname is found in its Danish form, Galtner.
Whatever its spelling, Gültner is an uncommon German name derived from the Old High German word ‘geld’, meaning ‘payment’ or ‘money’. Thus, the name Gültner most likely identified someone who was employed in money exchange, or some other type of financial industry.
Today, Gültner is an uncommon surname, though it is still seen in some European countries, particularly Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.
Famous people with the name Gültner
- Herbert Gültner: German prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Fulda.
- Thomas Gültner: German football goalkeeper.
- Heike Gültner: German stage actress and member of the Burgtheater, Vienna.
- Martin Gültner: German football defender.
- Johann Gültner: German craftsman who is best known for inventing the Schnurrbartflasche, a type of beer glass.
- Nora Gültner: German football midfielder.
- Herbert Gültner: German politician, member of the Social Democratic Party, President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
- Britta Gültner: German rower who placed fourth at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
- Christina Gültner: German film producer.
- Wolf Günther Gültner: German theologian who wrote several books on Christian mysticism.