Surname Voelger - Meaning and Origin
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Voelger: What does the surname Voelger mean?
The last name Voelger is a Germanized form of the old German name Vogeler and is derived from the Middle High German word “Vogeler”, which means “birdkeeper” or “birdman”. This name originates from the occupation of keeping and trading birds, which was common in the Middle Ages in Germany.
The name Voelger is also connected to a place in Lower Saxony, Germany that has the same name. The place is mentioned in documents from the 13th century and is believed to have derived its name from a family of birdkeepers from the area.
The Voelger family were originally found in the area of the Rhineland in Central Germany and later spread out to other parts of the country. It is also an established last name in areas of Belgium, France, and the United States.
Today, the Voelger surname is most often seen in the states of Bavaria, Hamburg, Nordheim, and Brandenburg. Its corresponding coat of arms is composed of three silver bird heads on a red background with a silver crown on top.
The surname Voelger has historically represented a sense of pride and heritage among its bearers. It is representative of a long line of German ancestry and continues to represent the Voelger family today.
Order DNA origin analysisVoelger: Where does the name Voelger come from?
The last name Voelger is common mainly in the United States of America, Canada, England, and Germany today.
When researching the origin of the last name Voelger, it was found that it first originated in Germany. This is evidenced in sources such as the American-German Genealogy Portal and surnamedb.com, which state that the Voelger name is an old German name.
In the US, Voelger is most popular in the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota, where the majority of people with the Voelger surname live. According to SurnameDB data, around 1,200 people have the Voelger surname in the US - mostly in the Midwest.
In Canada, Voelger is found mainly in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia, as the largest concentration of Voelgers lives there.
In England, records indicate that the Voelger surname is especially concentrated in Yorkshire, with around 1,000 people having this last name.
Within Germany, the surname Voelger is not as common as it is in other countries; however, it has still been found in many locations across Germany, with the highest concentrations being located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hamburg, Berlin, and Bavaria.
Overall, the surname Voelger is mostly found in the United States, Canada, England, and Germany today.
Variations of the surname Voelger
The surname Voelger, regardless of its spelling, is derived from a dialectal German name derived from a low German word meaning an official in a governmental court. Depending on the geographical area, the surname can appear as Voelger, Völger, Volger, and Voelger.
In the United States, the surname has taken on several variants. A few of the Americanized versions include Folger, Volger, Volgermann, Volhax, Vaults, Foulger, and Oulger. In France, the surname is commonly spelled according to the French accentuation of Voeger, Voèlger, and Voëlger. The transposed surname Vögel, is very common amongst the German lines as well.
Surnames derived from Voelger include Volgmann, Voelkner, Voelkel, Voelker, Voelkl, Volker, Voelk, Volggen, Volckner, Volckmann, Voelckers, Vollmer, Voellmer, Voellger, Vultke, Völkel, and Völker.
Although not an exact derivative of Voelger, another common surname is Vogler. Vogler as a surname is derived from the occupational term vogeler, which is related to a vintner or an innkeeper.
In summary, the surname Voelger has many spellings and surnames that are derived from it. Because of its dialectal German origin, the surname is seen in many different regional forms.
Famous people with the name Voelger
- Marin Voelger: is a new media artist and director working in audio-visual experiences, fashion and live performance.
- Kelly Voelger: is a visual artist, curator and academic who works in the areas of photography, film and digital media.
- Curt Voelger: is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Denver Broncos and the Green Bay Packers from 1988 to 1996.
- Martin Voelger: is a German watercolorist and painter of landscapes and still lifes.
- Michael Voelger: is a professional lacrosse player in Major League Lacrosse who plays as a midfielder for the Ohio Machine.
- Lindsay Voelger: is a writer and book blogger from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Charles Voelger: is a basketball coach who has served as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NBA Development League.
- Kimberly Voelger: is a former American soccer player who played goalkeeper and defender for the Boston Breakers of the Women's United Soccer Association.
- John Voelger: is a retired steel magnate and philanthropist who served as board of trustees chairman of the University of Chicago.
- Kristen Voelger: is a musician and concert promoter from Chicago, Illinois.