Surname von Gerlach - Meaning and Origin
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von Gerlach: What does the surname von Gerlach mean?
The last name von Gerlach is derived from the German word 'Gerlach', which comes from the Middle High German 'gerhalc' and Old High German 'gerhalah'. The meaning 'gerlach' shares is not very clear to many people, but it is believed to be derived from 'garalûn', a Central German term for 'lance'. This possibly implies that those who originally bore the name were soldiers with lances or skilled in the use of them.
The suffix 'von' is part of many German surnames and is simply the equivalent of the English preposition 'of'. It is sometimes referred to as the nobiliary particle, and indicates that the bearer of the name is of noble descent. In some cases, though not always, it signifies that the bearer is associated with or descended from a certain geographic region.
The full name, then, may be translated as 'of Gerlach' indicating that the bearer originated from a region called 'Gerlach'. Alternatively, it could indicate that the bearer of the name was a soldier who was skilled with a lance, and was from a place known as Gerlach.
Order DNA origin analysisvon Gerlach: Where does the name von Gerlach come from?
The last name von Gerlach is primarily found in Germany, particularly in the northern and eastern regions. It is especially common in the eastern states of Brandenburg and Saxony, as well as in the major cities such as Berlin and Hamburg. It is also regularly found in German-speaking Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg.
In the United States, von Gerlach is most commonly found in the Midwest, with concentrations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It is also present in other parts of the U.S. such as Texas, California, and New York.
The last name von Gerlach is of German origin, although some individuals may have adopted it from another language during immigration to the U.S. It originated as a name given to someone from the town of Gerlach or some other place that was associated with the Gerlach name. The origins of the name itself are uncertain, but it may have derived from a German word meaning "axe," suggesting the family may have had a connection to woodworking or blacksmithing.
The von Gerlach family has a long history in Europe, with branches throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Many von Gerlachs have achieved distinction in various fields, from politics to science, and while the name is somewhat obscure in the U.S., it is still in use around the world.
Variations of the surname von Gerlach
The surname von Gerlach has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common spelling of this surname is the German form, Von Gerlach, although this can also be spelled as Vongerlach, VonGarlach, Gehralach, VanGerlach, van Gerlach, Gerlachs, Gerlaach, and Gherlah.
In addition to these spellings, there are many other surnames that are derived from the same root, and these include Gerl, Gerlich, Gerling, Gӓlach, Kӓrloch, Gӓrloch, Gerenloch, Gӓrl, Grӓl, Kӓrh, Grӓhl, and Grӓhm. As with the original surname, many of these surnames, such as Gerl, can appear in multiple variations. For instance, Gerl may be spelled as Gherl, Gerll, Gӓrl, or Gehrell.
These variations stem from the fact that, historically, many of these surnames were written differently depending on the region and dialect of the region one was from. Moreover, the spelling of surnames often changed over time, so some of these may have been used in the past, but are now extinct.
Generally speaking, all of these surnames are from the same origin, the von Gerlach surname, and they have all been passed down through families and generations over time. Even if they may have been changed or the spelling slightly altered, these surnames still proudly represent the same origin and heritage.
Famous people with the name von Gerlach
- Catharina Wilhelmina von Gerlach (1744: 1788): Prussian émigrée in Batavia, a Dutch overseas colony.
- Carl August von Gerlach (1763: 1825): German military officer.
- August von Gerlach (1814: 1895): German naturalist and ornithologist.
- Wilhelm von Gerlach (1864: 1924): German sculptor.
- Ferdinand von Gerlach (1881: 1959): Austrian architect.
- Adam von Gerlach (1889: 1975): German bacteriologist.
- Sigurd von Gerlach (1899: 1971): German businessman.
- Bernhard von Gerlach (1920: 2005): German industrialist.
- Günther von Gerlach (1900: 1960): German World War II ace.
- Martin von Gerlach (born 1950): German philosopher and theologian.
- Wolfgang von Gerlach (born 1939): German electronics engineer.
- Maximilian von Gerlach (born 1969): German politician.
- Georg von Gerlach (born 1968): German biochemist.
- Peter von Gerlach (born 1945): German art historian.
- Johannes von Gerlach (born 1971): German economist.
- Ulli von Gerlach (born February 1959): German working in the field of human resources.