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![Show Contents]() Wolff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancient name Wolff is a Norman name that would have been developed in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This name is thought to have evolved from a nickname for a person who bore some resemblance to a wolf, either in appearance or behavior 1 2 "often Latinized as Lupus and found in the French forms Lou and Love." 3 Early Origins of the Wolff familyThe surname Wolff was first found in The Pipe Rolls, or Sheriff's Annual Accounts of the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Durham during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John where the forename Ulf de Appelbi was recorded in 1163. The same rolls listed Ulf Stodhyrda in 1196. 4 In Lincolnshire, the Pipe Rolls of 1166 included an entry for Robert Wulf as holding lands there at that time. 3 Later the Cartularium Abbatiale de Whiteby, Ordinis S. Benedicti had two records, this time as a surname: Roger Ulfe; and William filius Ulfe in 1350. 4 Early History of the Wolff familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wolff research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1550, 1560, 1578, 1739, 1755, 1760, 1791, 1803 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Wolff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wolff Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of forenames and surnames were common. Originally all records were in Latin and translating a record, whether it was a surname or village name was dependent on a verbal translation into the language of the times. Languages evolved too and that complicated entries. Spellings often changed in a person’s lifetime in various rolls (censuses) of the time. Many variations of the name Wolff have been found, including Wolfe, Wolf, Woolf, Woolfe, Wolff, de Wolfe and many more. Early Notables of the Wolff familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Arthur Wolfe, 1st Viscount Kilwarden (1739-1803), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, the son of John Wolfe of Forenaughts, co. Kildare, and of Mary, only daughter of William Philpot. He entered at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1755, and, having obtained a scholarship, graduated B.A. in 1760.
Charles Wolfe (1791-1823), the Irish poet, was born at Blackhall, co. Kildare, on 14 Dec. 1791. He was one of a family of...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wolff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wolff World RankingIn the United States, the name Wolff is the 1,720th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 5 However, in France, the name Wolff is ranked the 828th most popular surname with an estimated 6,182 people with that name. 6 And in Netherlands, the name Wolff is the 899th popular surname with an estimated 2,253 people with that name. 7  Migration of the Wolff family to Ireland
Some of the Wolff family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Wolff migration to the United States | + |
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Wolff were among those contributors:
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 8
- Hans Wolff, who arrived in New York in 1709 8
- Abraham Wolff, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1728 aboard the ship "Mortonhouse John Coultas" 8
- Conrad Wolff, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 8
- ... (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 8
- Carl Wolff, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1832 8
- Charles Wolff, aged 30, who arrived in St Louis, Missouri in 1841 8
- Christine Luise Wolff, aged 29, who arrived in America in 1843 8
- Fritz Wolff, who arrived in Mississippi in 1843 8
- ... (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 9
- Heinz Siegfried Wolff FIEE FRSA (1928-2017), German-born British scientist, television and radio presenter
- Jan Rikard Wolff (1958-2017), Swedish stage and screen actor and singer
- Egon Wolff (1926-2016), Chilean playwright and author
- ... (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 10
- 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 10
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: Fides in adversis
Motto Translation: faith in adversity
| Suggested Readings for the name Wolff | + |
- The Wolf, Wolfe, Wolff Families of Pennsylvania by Raymond Alvin Wolff.
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- "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
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Wolff migration to the United States 
Wolff migration to Canada 
England
Germany
Ireland
