Surname Rölfing - Meaning and Origin

Rölfing: What does the surname Rölfing mean?

The last name Rölfing is a German surname with several possible origins. It may come from a Germanic personal name, Rolf, which means “fame, glory, and wolf”. Alternatively, it could be derived from a prefix, “rolf”, indicating a “clearing” or “Charles”, which is derived from a Germanic name, Karl, meaning “freeman”. It could also be derived from a place name, Rölfingshofen, which is found in the north-eastern region of Germany.

In addition to its German origin, the Rölfing name may have been adopted by people of other nationalities, including Scandinavians, Dutch, and Poles.

The Rölfing name is likely to have been quite widespread in Germany, as it is found in many records dating from at least the 16th century. It appears in records from 1654 in North Rhine-Westphalia and records from 1741 in Prussia. As the surname is found in multiple German regions it is likely to have originated from more than one place.

The name is also quite commonly used in the Netherlands, likely due to the long-standing cultural and language exchanges between northern Germany and the Low Countries, or as a result of migration from Germany.

Today, the Rölfing name is still quite popular in Germany, although its popularity has decreased somewhat in recent years. There are also several people in other countries who bear the surname, notably in the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden.

Rölfing: Where does the name Rölfing come from?

The last name Rölfing is most common in Germany today. It is a common Germanic name that is particularly concentrated in the region of Schleswig-Holstein, situated on the northern border of Germany and Denmark. It is also one of the most popular surnames in the state of Bavaria.

The name dates back to the Middle Ages in Germany when the prefix Rölf was used to identify a clan or family. Over time, the suffix ‘ing’ was added to create the name Rölfing. This was common practice during the Middle Ages when a surnamed was created based on the family’s occupation or geographical location.

The Rölfing surname is most likely derived from the German word Rölf, which was used to refer to a loud booming sound. This leads many researchers to believe that it was an occupational surname most likely referring to a hunter or someone who owned a large weapon that may have made such a sound.

Today, the Rölfing surname is most concentrated in Northern Germany, but it is fairly common in other parts of the world including the United States. In the United States, there are more than 4,000 people with the last name Rölfing. It is likely that most of them are descendants of German immigrants who moved to the US during the 19th century.

Variations of the surname Rölfing

Rölfing is a German surname meaning “at the room” or “at the dwelling.” The root is Rolf, which originated in the Langobardic language. Rölfing is a variant of Ralph, the name of a Germanic tribe during the Migration Period. Other spellings include Rolfinck, Rolfing, Rölfink, Rölflin and Rolfen.

The surname Rölfing has various other surname variants from Northern Europe—from Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and England—such as Rolfe, Rolff, Rolphe, Rohlfing, Rolph, and Rolfing.

In Germany, the variants of Rölfing most commonly found are Rölfs, Rolffs, Rölfes, Rohlfs and Rolphs. In the Netherlands, the variants are Rolffs, Rolf, Rolfs, Roff, Rolofs, Rölf and Rolof. Scandinavia, Germany and England have variants such as Rolf, Rolle, Rohlf, Rohlfe, and Rollfe.

Some surnames that appear to be derived from Rölfing include Ruffling, Rollfing, Riffling, Rollfink, Raffle, Roffman, Ruhling, Rohlf and Roelfs. From these surnames, it is possible to trace back the origins of the Rölfing surname.

In addition to the variants and spellings of Rölfing, there are also many surnames with the same origin. These include Rahlf, Rahe, Raufe, Reife, Reiff, Remfert, Reimann, Reilly, Ribbe, Rickert, Roewe, Roeth, Roehrs, Rohlmann, Rommelfanger, Rosebohm, Rosendahl and Rueling.

Overall, the surname Rölfing is an old German name with a wide variety of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. It has deep roots in Northern Europe, and its variants provide insights into its formation and possible origins.

Famous people with the name Rölfing

• Helmut Rölfing: German actor, director and screenwriter
• Sebastian Rölfing: German competitive swimmer
• Charlotte Rölfing: German figure skater
• Florian Rölfing: German professional footballer
• Ralf Rölfing, German politician and member of the Bundestag for the Christian Democratic Union
• Arne Rölfing: German author and journalist
• Regine Rölfing: German sculptor and art restoration specialist
• Beatrix Rölfing: German television actress
• August Rölfing- German physicist and professor
• Paul Rölfing: German actor and film producer

Other surnames

Rolfink