Surname Kolle - Meaning and Origin
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Kolle: What does the surname Kolle mean?
The last name Kolle is a German surname and is derived from the Middle High German word “kollen”—meaning “to cool off” or “to chill”. It is thought to have originated as a habitational name, indicating a place where people would cool off and relax, such as near a body of water.
Over time, Kolle was used as an occupational surname to describe a miller, specifically one who operated a tool with a coarse grinding surface in order to grind grain and other holding items. The last name can also be found as “Koll” or “Köll”.
Kolle is a relatively rare surname and can found mainly in Germany and parts of Scandinavia. As Germany grew and people migrated to other countries, the surname traveled along with them, occasionally morphing and taking on different spellings.
Today, it is found in many places around the world, including the United States, Canada, South Africa, Switzerland, and Great Britain. Famous people that bear the Kolle surname include German choral conductor and composer Franz Kolle and German cycling Olympics champion Pamela Kolle.
Overall, the last name Kolle carries the meaning of cooling off and relaxation, as well as an underlying history of German roots and culture. It remains to this day a unique and historical family name that connects the many people that share it.
Order DNA origin analysisKolle: Where does the name Kolle come from?
The surname Kolle is fairly widespread around the world and can be found in various countries. The frequency of the surname is highest in Germany, where it ranks 151st most frequent surname. There, it is especially common in the northern and western parts of the country with particularly high concentrations in the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.
In Denmark, Kolle is the 72nd most common surname, and it is especially frequent in the northern and central regions of the country. The surname is also very common in Sweden, with concentrations in the many of the southern and central regions. It ranks as the 105th most frequent surname in that country and is particularly prevalent in Stockholm.
In the United States, the surname Kolle is quite rare. According to the 2000 US census, there were only 906 people with the surname of Kolle living in the country. Most of them lived on the east and west coasts of the US, though some were found in Texas, Colorado and other states.
In general, Kolle is most common in the northern part of Europe, especially in Germany, Denmark and Sweden. While it is not a particularly common surname in the United States, there is still a small population of Kolle-surnamed individuals spread throughout the country.
Variations of the surname Kolle
Kolle is a surname found in many countries with different variants and spellings, including Kollee, Kölle, Koller, Köller, Kollle, Köllle, Golda and Colla. The surname is most likely derived from either the German phrase meaning “up to the knees” or the Old Norse phrase meaning “son of Koll”. In English, the surname can be found spelled as Kolle, Kölle, Koller, Köller, Kollle, Köllle, Golda, and Colla.
In Germany, the surname is more commonly spelled as Kölle and is most likely sourced from the German phrase “up to the knees”, signifying a short or unusually small individual in stature. In some areas of Germany, such as the Alsace region, Kölle was used as a variation of the historically more prevalent given name Köhler (meaning smith).
The surname is also thought to be of Old Norse origin, deriving from the given name Koll, or Kolo, which signifies a monarchy. As such, Kölle would signify “son of Koll” and gives more credence to its regional link with Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
In addition to Kolle and its variants, the surname can also be found spelled as Golda and Colla. Golda is a version of Kolle which was most likely used in Ashkenazi countries such as the former Soviet Union, while Colla is a version used in Italy and other parts of Europe.
In conclusion, the surname Kolle has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin such as Kölle, Koller, Köller, Kollle, Köllle, Golda, and Colla. The name is most likely derived from either the German phrase meaning “up to the knees” or the Old Norse phrase meaning “son of Koll”.
Famous people with the name Kolle
- Rudi Kolle: German actor
- Frederick Kolle:Welsh rugby player
- Christian Kolle: Danish footballer
- Inga Kolle: German volleyball player
- Henrik Kolle: Norwegian politician
- Gerhard Kolle: German stage and film actor
- Petra Kolle: German musician and composer
- Sarah Kolle: Dutch cross country skier
- Alex Kolle: German football player
- Martin Kolle: German football player