Surname Voigtlander - Meaning and Origin

An Emotional Odyssey: Exploring Ancestry, Family, and the Surname Voigtlander Through iGENEA

Venturing into the realms of one's genetic heritage through iGENEA's DNA test can be an experience filled with mixed emotions. Understanding the familial connections and deeper significance of the surname Voigtlander was a transformative journey of tracing back roots, understanding identity, and embracing ancestry.

S. Voigtlander

Voigtlander: What does the surname Voigtlander mean?

The last name Voigtlander is of German origin and is derived from the German word fahrt, meaning "journey". It is a common ornamental surname used to denote someone who made or sold items related to travelling, such as a carriage-maker or a peddler. This surname was most likely established in the late medieval period when trading of goods between cities became a lucrative activity.

The suffix ‘-land’ suggests a connection with a location, such as a landowner or a person from a particular geographic area. In the case of Voigtlander, the name could indicate a connection to an area with a free-wheeling lifestyle, or it could denote someone who travelled frequently for business reasons.

In more recent history, Adam Voigtlander, a German immigrant, established an optics manufacturing company in the 1840s that sold precision instruments, such as microscopes and cameras, to scientists and photographers. The company continues to make optical and photographic equipment in Germany, and is one of the oldest companies of its kind in the world.

Overall, the surname Voigtlander suggests a connection to a tight-knit community that fostered innovation and progress in the field of optics and photography.

Voigtlander: Where does the name Voigtlander come from?

The surname Voigtlander is most commonly found in Germany, although there are also pockets of Voigtlanders spread across Europe and other parts of the world. The peak of the Voigtlander population occurred in the late 19th century, when they were the 25th most frequent surname in Prussia, and the 30th most frequent surname in Germany.

The surname Voigtlander is of German origin, and is derived from the German word "voigt" meaning "watchman", and "lander" meaning "county". People with the Voigtlander surname were predominantly found in the provinces of Brandenburg, Saxony, and Prussia throughout much of the 19th century.

Today, the Voigtlander surname is still found mainly in these areas, as well as in other cities and towns throughout Germany. There are also large populations of Voigtlanders living in the Netherlands and Denmark, and smaller populations in other parts of northern Europe, such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The Voigtlander name is also common in some parts of the United States, particularly in Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This is due to German immigration to these states, particularly during the mid-1800s. Records of the Voigtlander name have also been located in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Variations of the surname Voigtlander

The surname Voigtlander has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common alternate spelling for this surname is “Voigtländer” (with the ä), which originates from the common German practice of combining two different-looking characters to form one letter.

In the United States, the surname is incorrectly spelt as "Vogtlander" or "Vogtlender". Some of the other alternative spellings include "Foigtlander", "Foigtländer", "Vogtlandter", and "Foitlander".

In addition to these variants, the surname has several surnames of the same origin. "Foit" and "Vogt" are both derivatives of "Voigt" in German, and are common surnames worldwide.

In the past, Voigtlander was also a patronymic surname derived from the name of a father or ancestor, such as "Heinrich Voigtlandersohn". Similarly, there are other uses of the surname as family name, such as "Voigtlander von Finkenbach" or "Voigtlander von Seebach".

Other associated surnames include “Voigts”, “Voigtsberger”, “Voigtman”, “Voigtsmann”, “Voigtland”, and “Vogtland”. These surnames are most likely derivatives from the original Voigtlander, as a result of their family members moving into new geographic locations or spelling their surnames differently over time.

Overall, the surname Voigtlander has a variety of variant spellings and similar surnames which all trace back to the same root.

Famous people with the name Voigtlander

• August Ferdinand von Voigtländer: He was a German optician who founded a company to produce optical instruments (e.g. lenses for cameras) in the early 19th century.
• Chaim Voigtlander: He is an American rabbi, entrepreneur, and educator. He is the founder of Bridging Israel, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Israel’s engagement with the global Jewish community.
• Wilhelm Voigtländer: He was a German inventor and industrialist. He is best known for creating the Voigtländer's defunct film and camera company, which he founded in 1756.
• Maximilian Voigtländer: He was a German photographer and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of photography, inventing and perfecting early photographic methods and processes.
• Markus Voigtländer: He is a German political scientist and university professor. He is a professor of political science and the director of the Chair for Peace Research and Conflict Resolution at the University of Munster.
• Bernd Voigtländer: He is a German film director, screenwriter, author, and producer. He has been recognized with several awards, including two Bavarian Film Awards.
• Iris Voigtländer: She is a German journalist, editor-in-chief, author, and teacher. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Zeit Leben, a magazine about lifestyle, travel, culture, and art.
• Klaus Voigtländer: He is a German politician and a former Member of the European Parliament. He is also a former member of the Green party.
• Enno Voigtländer: He is a German sports journalist and television presenter. He is the host of the popular Bundesliga Preview Show on the German sports channel Sky Sports.
• Johannes Voigtländer: He is a German sculptor and professor of art at the Kunsthochschule Kassel. He is known for his monumental bronze sculptures influenced by classical antiquity, particularly his sculptures of athletes and Olympians.

Other surnames

Voigtland