Surname Korthum - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'K'
Korthum: What does the surname Korthum mean?
The last name Korthum is of Germanic origin, deriving from the personal name Conrad, which is composed of two elements; ‘Konrad’ and ‘rod’. The first element, ‘Konrad’, is a Germanic judging name composed of two separate elements, ‘kūn’ (to know) and ‘rad’ (to advise). The second element, ‘rod’ (rode) indicates that the bearer was a ruler or leader of a particular area or domain. Thus, put together, the name literally translates to ‘wise or knowledgeable ruler’.
As a surname, the name Korthum is likely to have developed among the aristocratic and landed families of Germany and its surrounding regions. It was claimed as a title of wealth and power, as well as to distinguish the family from other families with similar or related surnames. Such names were found among the high ranks of German society; a name such Korthum was found among the Prussian nobility and other German noble families in the Middle Ages.
Today, the surname is still found in many parts of the world today, particularly in Germany, with pockets of Korthum’s dwelling in the U.S., England, Australia, Canada and other countries across the world. Often, those with the Korthum surname are associated with a sense of sophistication and strength.
Order DNA origin analysisKorthum: Where does the name Korthum come from?
The surname Korthum is most commonly found in Germany and Scandinavia. The name Korthum originated in the northern German region known as Holstein. Originally Holstein was an autonomous province of the Holy Roman Empire, and remains a province in modern times as part of the state of Schleswig Holstein.
The primary language spoken there until the 19th century was Low German, which explains why the surname Korthum has a distinctly Germanic sound.
The surname Korthum is still quite common in Schleswig- Holstein and the surrounding areas of northern Germany. The population of northern Germany is strongly dominated by ethnic Germans, and many of these German families have roots that go back centuries. It is likely that the Korthum family was established in the area before the modern nation-states of Germany and Scandinavia were formed.
Korthum is also found in some parts of Scandinavia, including Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, most likely due to the migrations of ethnic Germans to those regions in the 19th century. It is also likely that individuals bearing the Korthum surname moved to Scandinavia during the mid-20th century, or even of more recent times.
To conclude, the surname Korthum is most common in Germany and Scandinavia today, and is likely to have been established in those regions for centuries.
Variations of the surname Korthum
Korthum is a rare surname, which has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common variant spelling is Kortum, which is a German surname. It is derived either from the Middle Low German word kort, meaning “short”, or from the Middle High German word kurz, meaning “brief” or “short”.
The Dutch spelling of Korthum is Korthuis, which is derived from the Dutch word kort, meaning “short”, and huis, meaning “house”. A variant of Korthuis is Kortenhuis, which is also found in the Netherlands.
The Scandinavian spelling of Korthum is Korthagen, derived from the Old Norse word kortha, meaning “short”, and hagen, meaning “garden” or “hedge”.
In Anglo-Saxon and Celtic regions, the surname is sometimes spelled Kortmann or Korthmann. This spelling is derived from the Middle High German word kurt, meaning “brief” or “short”, and mann, meaning “man”.
In Czech language regions, the surname is spelled Kortha. This is derived from the Old Czech word kortha, meaning “short”.
Other surnames derived from Korthum include Korthoff, Kortum, Kortel, Korteila, Korten, Kortsen, Korte, and Korth.
In conclusion, Korthum is a rare surname with many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin, including Kortum, Korthuis, Kortenhuis, Korthagen, Kortmann, Korthmann, Kortha, Korthoff, Kortel, Korteila, Korten, Kortsen, Korte, and Korth.
Famous people with the name Korthum
- Paul Korthum, Dutch professional ice hockey player
- Gigi Korthum, Australian Radio Network announcer
- Sam Korthum, American actor
- Lars Korthum, Swedish water polo player
- Viktor Korthum, Swiss patissier
- Bjorn Korthum, Norwegian editor and journalist
- Konrad Korthum, German restaurateur
- Billy Korthum, American singer
- Skeet Korthum, British pop artist
- & 11. Steffen & Siegfried Korthum, German equestrians
- Joanna Korthum, Canadian conservation ecologist
- Jan Korthum, Dutch media entrepreneur
- Arne Korthum, Danish historian
- Isabelle Korthum, French philanthropist
- Ernest Korthum, Swiss historian
- Johanna Korthum, American writer
- André Korthum, Belgian painter
- Helga Korthum, Swedish archaeologist
- Luca Korthum, Italian composer and producer