Surname Guntlach - Meaning and Origin
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Guntlach: What does the surname Guntlach mean?
The last name Guntlach is a German and Ashkenazi Jewish surname. It is derived from the Old German word “guntel” meaning “bell” and “loch” meaning “lake” or “creek”. The name is thought to have originated from the name of a place, similar to the surnames “Guntelbach” (meaning “bell creek”) and “Guntelscheid” (meaning “bell clearing”).
People with this last name can trace their ancestry back to Germany, parts of Austria, and the Czech Republic. The first recorded reference to the surname was in the 14th century in Germany, where it was adopted by a former resident of the city of Nuremberg. Today, the most common areas with individuals bearing this name are Rhineland, Hesse, and the Saarland. Other countries with recorded occurrences of Guntlach include Switzerland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, and Canada.
This surname is also carried by a large and well-known family of German-speaking Jews who are descended from Rabbi Isaac Schmelkes ha-Levi Guntlach. Rabbi Guntlach was the head of all Jewish communities in Bohemia during the 1600’s. Members of this family include lawyers, teachers, businessmen, writers, editors, historians, lawyers, and doctors.
The surname Guntlach reflects a strong common heritage and denotes of a sense of perhaps both national and regional identity among its holders. There is both a richness and history to the name, and it can bring with it a shared sense of pride and unity.
Order DNA origin analysisGuntlach: Where does the name Guntlach come from?
The surname Guntlach is most commonly found in a region in western Germany known as the Rhineland. It was also located in what is now southwestern Poland, and is often associated with the Prussian people. In modern times, this last name is found primarily in its native Germany, with a notable concentration around the city of Duisburg, located in the Northwest of the country.
In addition to Germany, the family name is also found in countries such as Austria, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil. There are also families with this surname in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Within Germany, the surname Guntlach is considered to be the 29th most popular family name. In terms of frequency, it is significantly more common around NW Germany than in other parts of the country. In fact, Guntlach is often perceived as a 'traditional Rhineland name'.
According to the Stadtlexikon', a compendium of family names, the Guntlach surname is of pre 7th-century origins. It is derived from the Latin 'Gonatouras', which is translated to mean 'God-Gift', suggesting that it was a baptismal name given to individuals who were born under these auspicious circumstances. Today's Guntlach's still draw inspiration from this ancient and honourable tradition.
Variations of the surname Guntlach
The surname Guntlach is an ancient name likely derived from the Germanic language, with many different variants and spellings. Common Germanic variants include Guntloch, Gundlach, Gunterloch, Güntherloch, Gunthele, Gunthlie, and Guntherle. These variants have also spread to other parts of the world with local adaptations.
In Europe, there are several German spellings such as Gündlach, Günderloch, Güntherloch, and Günthel. In the Netherlands, a variant is spelled Guntlage, Guntlaeg, and Gunthaeg. In Denmark, the name is mainly spelled Guntelach or Güntelach. In Sweden, Gunteln or Günteln is much more common.
The popularity of the surname Guntlach has spread far from its Germanic origins. In the Czech Republic, it's known as Guntloch. In Russia, the name is spelled Gundlakh. The name can also be seen in France and Belgium as Gunthel and Guntzel. In Poland, it's known as Gondlach.
In the United States, the surname Guntlach is often seen as Guntlack, Guntles, Gunthle, and Gunthles, as well as Gunthlel and Gundles. There also exist rare variations like Guntlaus, Guuntlies, and Guentlaus.
Overall, the surname Guntlach appears in many different forms, adapting over time and as it spread across the world.
Famous people with the name Guntlach
- Wolfgang Guntlach: Wolfgang was a German composer and musicologist, mostly focusing on music of the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries.
- Reinhard Guntlach: Reinhard was a professional photographer and photojournalist who is particularly remembered for his photographs of the Holocaust.
- Bernd Guntlach: Bernd was an Olympic-level cyclist and racer in his time, representing Germany in several Olympic games.
- Dorothea Guntlach: Dorothea was a German artist known for her modern sculptures, metalwork and prints.
- Gary Guntlach: Gary was an American professional cyclist who often represented the United States in international events.
- Erhard Guntlach: Erhard was a German interpreter and diplomat, serving the German government in many roles for the majority of his career.
- Johann Georg Guntlach: Johann was a German sculptor who specialized in marble and relief sculptures.
- Johann Joachim Guntlach: Johann was Johann Georg Guntlach's son and he specialized in smaller carvings and ivory sculptures.
- Michael Guntlach: Michael is an American politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
- Norbert Guntlach: Norbert was a German astronomer who studied the stars and planetary systems and worked as a professor.