Surname Bürckholz - Meaning and Origin

Bürckholz: What does the surname Bürckholz mean?

The last name Bürckholz is of German origin, from the northern parts of Germany. It is a combination of two words, "Bür" meaning "city" and "holz" meaning "wood". The surname originated in an area where there were a lot of wooden houses in cities. It may have been a descriptive name for someone living in one of these houses or for someone possessing a lot of wood near the city.

The surname Bürckholz was used as an occupational name for people who worked with wood in or around cities, such as joiners, cabinet makers, and timber merchants. It could also have been an occupational name for someone who worked in a military camp, as “holz” could refer to a military stockade or fortification.

The Bürckholz surname was also used more generally for people living near the woods, as trees often supplied the lumber for wooden houses. It could also have referred to someone living in a village that was close to a city, as “Bür” could mean “in the vicinity of”.

The last name Bürckholz is still common in Germany today. It is also found in other countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand. It has also been adapted to different spellings, including Buerkholz, Buerckholz, Bruckholz, and Bruckhuls.

Bürckholz: Where does the name Bürckholz come from?

The last name Bürckholz is most commonly found in northern Germany, especially in and around Berlin. The name is thought to have originated in the 12th century with the German words for “castle” and “wood” – a reference to an ancestral family who owned a plot of land with a wooden fortification. The last name Bürckholz is still found in the modern era in Germany, where there are around 219,000 households with the surname in the latest census.

The surname also has a strong presence in the United States. Immigrants bearing the Bürckholz surname settled in the United States in the nineteenth century, bringing the name to the Midwest, and Pennsylvania in particular. Census records from the twentieth century indicate that this last name was most common in states such as Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The majority of these Americans were of German descent.

Today, the last name Bürckholz can be found throughout the world. According to Geni.com, the name is the 1,718th most common in the world, with significant numbers of households living with this last name in the USA, Germany, and Canada. Interestingly, the name Bürckholz is also widespread in southern Sudan. Whether this is due to immigration or descendants of wartime teachers or soldiers is not clear.

Whatever the original source, the Bürckholz name is now found throughout the world and, despite having been around for centuries, still enjoys modest to strong levels of prevalence in the places it now calls home.

Variations of the surname Bürckholz

The surname Bürckholz has several variants, spellings and surnames that are of the same origin. These variants include Berckel, Berckelck, Berckelman, Bercel, Bercelem, Berchem, Berckelman, Berckelmann, Berckelmans, Burckhart, Burckhal, Burckel, Burckell, Burckheim, Burkhal, Burkholder, Burkhart, Burkhartt, Burkholz, Burgrüsse, Briggs, Burgoyne, Burgross and Berckholz.

Berckel is the commonly accepted version of Bürckholz and is believed to be the oldest spelling. In its original form, the surname is recorded in the earliest documentation to have been written as "Bercholdi." Its first occurrence dates back to the 12th century when a family of this surname is mentioned in 1203. In the old feudal system, they were a patrician family of Flanders, whose members were mayors of Bruges.

The name is derived from two elements: burc which means 'fortified house' and holz which means 'wood'. This suggests that there were once wood fortifications belonging to the family, and its usage may also point to the family's role in defense or the military.

The surname is very widespread in Germany and other German-speaking countries. It is commonly found in the Rhine region, where it is also known in the old records as "Bercholt, Bercholz, and Burchens." It is also found in large numbers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and the United States.

Famous people with the name Bürckholz

• Mary Bürckholz: Mary Bürckholz is a German business executive and the global head of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion at Siemens AG, one of the world’s leading engineering and technology companies.
• Andreas Bürckholz: Andreas Bürckholz is a German professional footballer who plays for FC Altona 93, a football club based in Hamburg.
• Johannes Bürckholz: Johannes Bürckholz was a German actor and cabaret artist. He was noted for his witty song lyrics and sketches.
• Klaus Bürckholz: Klaus Bürckholz was a German film editor and director. He worked on several popular films such as "The Nasty Girl" and "Goerzwerk" and has won several awards for his work.
• Ulf Bürckholz: Ulf Bürckholz is a former West German football player. He made 28 appearances for the national team between 1974 and 1982.
• Jon Bürckholz: Jon Bürckholz is a professional American soccer player who currently plays for Houston Dynamo.
• Carole Bürckholz: Carole Bürckholz is a German-American jazz singer who has released several albums and performed in concerts around the world.
• Thyra Bürckholz: Thyra Bürckholz is a former Danish model and actress. She appeared in several music videos and fashion shoots.
• Sophia Bürckholz: Sophia Bürckholz is a German actress, television presenter and acting coach. She is best known for her role on the hit sitcom "Stromberg".
• Uwe Bürckholz: Uwe Bürckholz is a German journalist, writer, and television presenter. He has covered many international news stories and hosted several popular television programs.

Other surnames

Bürckholdt