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Wolff History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Wolff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The Wolff surname is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Wolfgang, a popular personal name in Germany during medieval times. This personal name was originally derived from the Old German "wolf" which meant "wolf" and "ganc" meaning "battle."

Early Origins of the Wolff family

The surname Wolff was first found in the Rhineland, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century on the surname spread to nearly all parts of Germany, and was identified with the great social and economic evolution that contributed to the development of the nation. Chronicles mention Nivelung Wolf of Cologne as early as 1135, and Elbel Wolf of Bruenn in Moravia in 1365, showing the gradual eastward movement of the branches.

Early History of the Wolff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wolff research. Another 209 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1491, 1498, 1499, 1527, 1573, 1679, 1683, 1739, 1754, 1759, 1786, 1790, 1824 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Wolff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wolff Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Wolff include Wolf, Wolff, Wolfen, Wolfe, Wulf and others.

Early Notables of the Wolff family

Notables with the name Wolff during this period were

Christian Wolff (1679-1754), was one of the most widely read and influential Philosophers of the 18th century; Johann Christoph Wolf (1683-1739), was a German Christian Hebraist, polyhistor, and colle...

Wolff World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wolff is the 1,720^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Wolff is ranked the 828^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,182 people with that name. 2 And in Netherlands, the name Wolff is the 899^th popular surname with an estimated 2,253 people with that name. 3

Wolff migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Wolff were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Wolff Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Paul Wolff, who settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1691

Wolff Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Bertram Wolff, who arrived in New York in 1709-10
Bertram Wolff, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 4
Hans Wolff, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Abraham Wolff, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1728 aboard the ship "Mortonhouse John Coultas" 4
Conrad Wolff, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wolff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christoph Wolff, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1806 4
Carl Wolff, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1832 4
Charles Wolff, aged 30, who arrived in St Louis, Missouri in 1841 4
Christine Luise Wolff, aged 29, who arrived in America in 1843 4
Fritz Wolff, who arrived in Mississippi in 1843 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wolff Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Adolph Wolff, aged 22, who landed in America from Frankfurt, Germany, in 1908
Albert Wolff, aged 23, who landed in America from Dummal, Germany, in 1908
Adrian F. Wolff, aged 57, who landed in America, in 1910
Albert Wolff, aged 26, who landed in America from Walsdorf, Germany, in 1911
Adalbert Wolff, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States from Elberfield, Germany, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wolff migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wolff Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Friederich Wolff, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
George Wolff, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
Ludewig Wolff and Michael Wolff, who settled in Canada in 1783 with the Empire Loyalists

Contemporary Notables of the name Wolff (post 1700) +

Rick Wolff (1951-2023), American book editor, author, college coach, broadcaster, and former professional baseball player, son of Hall of Fame Sportscaster Bob Wolff
Lester Lionel Wolff (1919-2021), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1965-1981)
Art Wolff (1938-2020), American television director and acting coach, known for The Tracey Ullman Show, It's Garry Shandling's Show, The Powers That Be and Dream On
Thomas Wolff (1954-2000), American mathematician
Bobby Wolff (b. 1932), American bridge player
Beverly Wolff (1928-2005), American mezzo-soprano
Joseph Wolff (1795-1862), German missionary, the son of a Jewish rabbi of the tribe of Levi named David 5
Christian Wolff (1679-1754), German philosopher and mathematician
Bernard Wolff (1811-1879), German media mogul
Kurt Wolff (1895-1917), German pilot during World War I who became a flying ace during the war, credited with 33 victories and awarded the Pour le Mérite
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wolff family +

Bismarck

Hermann Wolff (1913-1941), German Angestellter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6
Egon Wolff (1915-1941), German Maschinenmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6

The Wolff Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtutis praemium
Motto Translation: Virtues reward.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 13 Feb. 2019
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details