Show ContentsGoltz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Goltz

What does the name Goltz mean?

The name Goltz comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames; so as to remain distinct from the many others of the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from," which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Goltz was a name for some one lived in the town of Golz, in the Rhineland. Goltz is a Habitation name that was originally derived from a place-name. Such names derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Early Origins of the Goltz family

The surname Goltz was first found in the Rhine region, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The founding father of the Prussian branch was Andreas Grafen von Dinheim, who moved from the Rhine to Poland, where he entered the service of King Boleslaw III. He obtained the estate Golczewo, from which the name Goltz was taken, although it was originally spelt Goltiz and Goltzow. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile. They formed many branches mainly in Poland and Brandenburg, and later in Austria.

Early History of the Goltz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Goltz research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1652, 1661, 1801, 1843, 1870 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Goltz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Goltz 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 Goltz include Goltz, Golz, Goeltz, Goelz, Goltiz, Goltzow and many more.

Early Notables of the Goltz family

Notables with the name Goltz during this period were

  • Bogumil Goltz (1801-1870), who was a prominent German humorist and satirist...
  • Baron Colmar von der Goltz (1843-1916) was a Prussian Field Marshal and military writer...


Goltz 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 Goltz were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Goltz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hans Peter Goltz, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Goltz (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Goltz (1954-2023), American author and journalist best known for his accounts of conflict in the Caucasus region
  • Thomas Goltz (b. 1954), American author and journalist
  • Friedrich Leopold Goltz (1834-1902), German psychologist who studied the nerve centers
  • Bogumil Goltz (1801-1870), German humorist and satirist
  • Hans Goltz (1873-1927), German art dealer


  1. 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)


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