Surname Kol - Meaning and Origin
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Kol: What does the surname Kol mean?
The surname Kol is of multiple origins. In some cultures, it is related to the Polish and Jewish (from Poland) name Kol, which is derived from the Hebrew personal name Yaakov (Jacob). It could also be a shortened form of the name Kowalski, meaning "blacksmith."
In the Indian context, "Kol" is found among certain communities in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is also a common surname among the Mahishya community of Bengal, where it might be derived from the Kol tribal community.
Moreover, it is recorded as a surname in several North European countries where it could indicate a connection to coal mining or charcoal making, as "kol" means "coal" in Norwegian and Danish.
However, without specific knowledge of a person’s ancestry, the precise meaning of their surname Kol can be hard to ascertain. Each instance should therefore be understood on a case-by-case basis. It’s worth mentioning that in many cultures, surnames have a long history and their meanings may have been obscured or altered over time.
Order DNA origin analysisKol: Where does the name Kol come from?
The surname Kol is of German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin. In German, it denotes someone who lived near cabbage patches, deriving from the Middle High German "kol," meaning cabbage. It is also found in the Netherlands where it might be topographically for someone who lived by a ridge or watershed, an occupational name for a charcoal burner or miner, or a personal name derived from Nicholas.
In Jewish families, the surname could be an acronym of Kohen Levite. Kohens and Levites are two distinct hereditary casts within Judaism, with Kohens traditionally said to be descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses, and Levites being descendants of Levi, the third son of Jacob.
While the surname Kol has its roots in Europe, it's now found globally due to massive patterns of immigration. However, it is most common today in countries like Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, along with other nations that have large Jewish populations. It could also be found today in countries like Norway, Poland and Russia, where surnames of Low German (Nieddeutsch) origin are common.
Variations of the surname Kol
The surname Kol has a few variants and spellings due to its origin in different cultures.
Some of the different spellings include Kolle, Coll, Koll, Kole, Koller, and Kuhl. In Eastern European cultures, it may also be written as Kohl or Khol. As these surnames' pronunciation can differ greatly, the spelling variants have diverged quite significantly.
Kol is also common in The Netherlands, where it's occasionally spelled as Kool or Cools. In Norway and Sweden, it may be spelled as Kjell or Kjelle.
Common related surnames include Kolar, Koler, Kolari, and Kolish, which may indicate a derivation from trades or professions like coal miner or charcoal burner.
It's important to note that although these variants, spellings, and surnames share similarities, they may not necessarily share the same origin. Separate families with these names may have developed them independently, based on linguistics, geography, profession, or patronyms. Surname meanings can vary widely even among those that are spelled similarly.
Famous people with the name Kol
- Gila Kol- Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress.
- Eliezer Kol- Israeli politician and former Knesset Member.
- Neta Kol- Israeli actress and singer.
- Shmuel Kol- Israeli former politician and current mayor of Kiryat Ekron.
- Itai Kol- Israeli singer-songwriter and musical producer.
- Mordechai Kol- Israeli sculptor and painter.
- Eytan Kol- Israeli-American language technologist and professor of computer engineering at Bar-Ilan University.
- clarinetist Anatoly Kol- violinist and one of the founders of Haifa Symphony Orchestra.
- Shimon Kol- Israeli former Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources, and a former Knesset Member.
- 32nd Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Benny Gantz- nicknamed "Benny Gantz Kol".