Surname Koelsche - Meaning and Origin

Koelsche: What does the surname Koelsche mean?

The last name Koelsche is likely of Germanic origin, and is derived from the word ‘kölscher’ which means ‘someone from Cologne’. Cologne is a city in western Germany, situated close to the border with the Netherlands and Belgium. This area of the Rhineland, which includes Cologne and its surrounding towns and villages, has long been a centre for culture, arts and trade.

The surname is found in records dating back to the late 1600s and early 1700s, most commonly found in the Catholic parish records of the city of Cologne. Early records also indicate it was found in other regions of Germany.

The name ‘Koelsche’ may have evolved from a nickname of sorts. A man from Cologne was often referred to as a ‘Kölscher’ and this may have eventually evolved into the surname. It is also possible the nickname and eventual surname was referring to a person who came from the region’s Kölsche dialect, the traditional dialect spoken in the region since the Middle Ages.

The earliest known recorded use of the name took place in 1703 when the marriage of Johann Koelsche and Anna Eva Theuerkauf was registered in Cologne. The couple had 6 children, all of whom adopted the surname. As the city became more densely populated, more families adopted the name, and it eventually spread to America in the 1700s with German immigrants.

The name Koelsche continues to be found in Germany and other parts of Europe, and around the world, particularly among those descended from the original German immigrants who settled in countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.

Koelsche: Where does the name Koelsche come from?

The surname Koelsche is most common today in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. It is believed to have originated from Middle High German, derived from the Middle German word küls. There are fewer than 500 individuals with the last name living in Germany today.

The original bearers of the surname are likely to have lived in what is now known as modern Germany in the late 15th century. It is thought they were residents of the Palatinate, an area located in southwestern Germany on the Rhine River. This area was part of the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages.

The earliest records of the surname can be found in the church registers of medieval Germany. One such record is from Schmiedeberg, a village in the Palatinate region, in 1548.

Today outside of Germany, the surname is found in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Though the surname Koelsche does not appear to be as commonly used in early American records, some families can be found in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa.

In all likelihood, the Nagel surname is a variant of the Koelsche surname, with the ending “-el” replaced with “-n”. Alternately, both surnames may have evolved independently of one another.

Variations of the surname Koelsche

The surname Koelsche is a variant of the German family name Kölsch, which is derived from the Middle High German word “koelsch,” meaning “of Cologne.” In some parts of Germany, the name may also be spelled Kölsche or Kölsch.

The surnames derived from the original German family name Koelsche vary depending on the region, but many have the same origin. The variants of the family name can commonly be spelled Kolsch, Kolschmann, Kolschmeyer, Kolschner, Koelsche, Koelsch, Koelschmann, Koelschmeyer, Kolschne, Kolschmann, Kolschner, Kölsche, Kölsch, Kölschmann, Kölschmeyer, Kölscheman, Kölschne, Kölschneman, Kölschenman, Kölschemeyer and Kölchermann.

These surnames can also be found in other languages aside from German. The name is believed to have been adopted by those living in other parts of Europe, such as Denmark, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands. In these countries, the surnames may be spelled slightly differently, such as Kölscher in Denmark and Kölschner in Hungary.

Overall, the surname Koelsche has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The spellings may vary depending on the region, and it has been incorporated into multiple different languages.

Famous people with the name Koelsche

• Jürgen Kölsche: Former German football player
• Joerg Kölsche: German sprint canoeist
• Lutz Kölsche: German professional football player
• Klaus Kölsche: German professional football referee
• Katrin Kölsche: German sprint canoeist
• Hendrik Kölsche: German professional football player
• Jens Kölsche: German canoeist
• Manuel Kölsche: German professional football player
• Victor Kölsche: German professional canoe sprint athlete
• Richard Kölsche: German professional football player
• Hans-Jürgen Kölsche: German professional football player
• Peter Kölsche: German professional football player
• Michael Kölsche: German professional football referee
• Johann Kölsche: German professional football player
• Sandra Kölsche: German former sprint canoeist
• Gabriele Kölsche: German former sprint canoeist
• Birgit Kölsche: German professional soccer player
• Paul Kölsche: German contemporary artist
• Wolfgang Kölsche: German professional football player
• Jürgen Paul Kölsche: German professional soccer player
• Lars Kölsche: German professional football referee

Other surnames

KoelschKoelschbach