Show ContentsGothmann History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Gothmann

What does the name Gothmann mean?

The name Gothmann is a proud symbol of ancient Jewish culture. Before the late Middle Ages, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Jewish hereditary surnames were adopted from a variety of different sources. Two of the most common types of Jewish family names are patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name.

As a Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname, Gothmann comes from the male given name Gutman, which means God and man, and was a transformation of many similar sounding names. The surname Goodman is a patronymic, for it is an English translation of the Jewish name Gutman. The latter is an interpretation of the Hebrew name Tuviah, which means 'Jehovah is good.' Two of the most popular suffixes to bear to accompany this root are "man" or "son," which, not surprisingly, mean 'man' and 'son.' 1

Gothmann Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Goodman, Gutman, Guttman, Gutermann, Gutterman, Guterman, Gothmann, Gutmann, Guttmann, Giterman and many more.


Gothmann migration to the United States+



Gothmann Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Friedrich Gothmann, aged 24, who landed in America from Kastah, in 1901
  • Bernhard Gothmann, aged 28, who settled in America from Allmaniska, in 1903
  • Jinte Gothmann, aged 26, who settled in America from Ozernawka, Austria, in 1909
  • Heinde Gothmann, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States from Bilgoraj, Russia, in 1910


  1. Weiss, Nelly. The Origin of Jewish family names: Morphology and History. Peter Lang AG, 2002. Digital


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