Surname Kurtseifer - Meaning and Origin
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Kurtseifer: What does the surname Kurtseifer mean?
The last name Kurtseifer is a German surname, derived from the Middle High German word ‘ikruczifer’. Originally, it meant ‘kurtsiefer’, or ‘short sword’. The name was likely adopted by those involved in the metal-working industry.
Kurtseifer is primarily found in Germany, and also in Europe, East and Central Europe, and North America. It seems to have first appeared in the middle of the 16th century and was common among German-speaking communities throughout the centuries.
The Kurtseifer name is primarily associated with the metalworking industry. People bearing this name are likely to have been drapers, cutlers, armorers, metalworkers, arms makers, etc.
Additionally, the Kurtseifer surname may be canine in origin. The surname is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word ‘kruczirfohne’, which referred to a type of dog bred to read the movements of wolves.
All in all, the last name Kurtseifer is a Germanic one with a long history of people in metalworking industries. It is also likely a canine-related name for those who may have bred and worked with hunting dogs.
Order DNA origin analysisKurtseifer: Where does the name Kurtseifer come from?
The last name Kurtseifer is most commonly found in the United States, according to the US Census. In fact, Kurtseifer is the 3,160th most common last name in the US, with about 3,000 Americans having the last name. The name appears to have originated in German-speaking areas of Europe and may be derived from “Kurt,” meaning “bold” in German, and “Seifer,” meaning “courageous” in Old High German.
Kurtseifer is thought to have been brought to the US by German immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were likely attracted to the United States for the abundant job opportunities created by America’s booming industrialization at the time.
Today, the Kurtseifer name is most commonly found across the United States in areas with large German-American populations, such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Texas, Ohio, and California. The last names “Kurtz” and “Kurz” are also found in these areas and are likely related to the Kurtseifer surname.
Many of the descendants of immigrant Kurtseifer families have since settled in more rural parts of the United States, such as Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. There are also notable populations of Kurtseifers living in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, demonstrating the global movement of the Kurtseifer family in the last century.
Variations of the surname Kurtseifer
The surname Kurtseifer has a variety of spelling variations, variants and surnames of the same origin. Most commonly, expeditions have yielded variants of the spelling that range from "Curtseiffer" to "Curzseifert" to the current spelling of" Kurtseifer".
In records from German-speaking countries, the spelling "Curtseiffer" has been found most often. This is a derivative form of the German "Kurzseiffer", meaning "short siefer". Siefer, in turn, is derived from sieben, the German word for "seven". Many families with the Kurtseifer surname were members of the seventh generation of their family.
It has also been speculated that the surname originated from the Latin-derived word "curtissimae", which means "the very short one". This could refer to a characteristic of physical stature or to some other attribute of the bearer of the name.
Other variants of the name have included "Curzseifert" and "Kürsefert". The first is likely an adaptation of the German spelling "Kurzseifert", while the latter is derived from "Kürse", the German word for "short".
The variants of the name have also been found with a variety of spellings, including "Curtseivert", "Curtseffer", and "Curtzseiver", among others.
In general, the various spellings of the Kurtseifer surname share the same etymological roots, showing how the name has evolved over time. Despite the variations in spelling, those who bear the name can trace their origins to much the same source.
Famous people with the name Kurtseifer
- Kurt Sutter: a screenwriter, director, producer, and actor who is best known for creating the FX television series Sons of Anarchy.
- Frank Kurtseifer: an American gymnast who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
- Dietmar Kurtseifer: a former East German long-distance runner who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
- Joe Kurtseifer: an American main battle tank enthusiast who is the founder of tanktread.org.
- Karl-Heinz Kurtseifer: a German decathlete who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.
- Emil Kurtseifer: an American cinematographer who worked on films such as The Birdcage, A Night at the Roxbury, and The Nutty Professor.
- Jerry Kurtseifer: a former National Basketball Association player who played with the New York Knicks.
- Robert Kurtseifer: a former professional football player who played for the Chicago Bears.
- William Kurtseifer: a composer, arranger, and bandleader who worked with a number of leading jazz artists.
- Paul Kurtseifer: an American Paralympic swimmer who competed in the 1976 Summer Paralympics.