Surname Volchert - Meaning and Origin
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Volchert: What does the surname Volchert mean?
Volchert is a German surname which likely originated in the area now known as Westphalia. The etymology of the name derives from the German surname "Walther" or "Walter", which is composed of two words, "wald" or “wall”, meaning forest, and "heri" or "heer", meaning host, army, or community. This combination, therefore, translates to mean "someone from a forested or military area.”
The earliest known documentation of the name Volchert is in the 13th century, when a person by the name of Walther (or Walterus Walther) is noted in a document in the former Westphalian region of Iserlohn.
The Volcker family was among the families that formed the backdrop to the events of the Thirty Years' War which occurred between 1618-1648. It was during this period that the population of Germany fell by an estimated 30 percent, with the largest declines occurring in the traditional heartland of Central and Upper Germany.
Volchert is a name which has been passed on through the generations which, to this day, continues to evoke a proud and historical German heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisVolchert: Where does the name Volchert come from?
The last name Volchert is a fairly uncommon surname in the present day. It has Germanic origins and is believed to derive from an ancient low German word – volk or valk - which means “people” or “tribe”.
Volchert is most commonly found in Germany, particularly in northwest Germany in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. The surname is also found in increasing numbers in the former European colonial countries of South America, as well as in Quebec and Ontario in Canada.
In the United States, the Volchert surname has been most frequently encountered in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, New Jersey, and California, and is believed to be brought there by 19th century German immigrants.
Volchert is also found in small numbers in Australia. In the United Kingdom, Volchert remains uncommon.
Given the dispersed nature of the contemporary Volchert family, it is likely that they have ancestors who have emigrated or moved away from their country of origin, perhaps in search of economic or educational opportunities. Nevertheless, the Volchert surname remains a rarity worldwide.
Variations of the surname Volchert
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Volchert include; Volksert, Volchertsen, Volckerth, Volcherding, Folchert, Folchertsen, Volkers, Volkerts, Folckerth, Folcherding, Volksen, Volckers, Volkerlings, Volkersen, and Folkerling. The origins of this surname are likely German or Dutch. The name may have originated in the medieval Netherlands, and is believed to be derived from Dutch valcher or folcher, meaning ‘people's keeper’.
In Germany, the stem of the surname is often associated with the geographical region of Volkermarkt, located in the state of Carinthia. It is believed that Volkermarkt was called Volkerchmark in the Middle Ages, and this may have led to the surname Volchert (or its variants). In Germany, the variants Volksert and Volchertsen can often be found.
The surname Volchert is sometimes seen spelled as Folchert and Folchertsen, mainly in the Netherlands, and variants Volckerth and Folckerth are seen primarily in Germany. In German-speaking areas, the spelling Volksen is often seen, as well as the surname Volckers which is derived from the Dutch word völker meaning ‘many people’. The names Volkerlings, Volkersen, and Folkerling are also found in Germany, and may be derived from a Germanic personal name Volker or Folker.
Most variants of this surname are found in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and the United States.
Famous people with the name Volchert
- Kristin Volchert: American actress, who has appeared in numerous films and television series since the early 1990s.
- John Volchert: Producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter most known as an executive producer and collaborator with J Cole and Dreamville Records.
- Joseph Volchert: Bavarian sculptor and painter of the Art Nouveau period.
- Carole B Volchert: California-based author, registered dietitian, teacher, and public health nutritionist.
- James E Volchert: American politician of the Democratic Party.
- Norris Volchert: American artist and teacher of the Expressionist School of the second quarter of the 20th century.
- Malcolm Volchert: Canadian lawyer and provincial judge, who served in office from 1970 to 1995.
- David Volchert: American jazz musician, composer, arranger, and educator.
- Karl Volchert: German civilian aid worker during World War II who was honored with the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
- Paul Volchert: German organ builder during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.