Surname Folgert - Meaning and Origin
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Folgert: What does the surname Folgert mean?
The surname Folgert derives from German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages and is a composed of the two elements "folg" and "ert". The element folg is derived from the old Germanic "fulga" which means "army". In this context, it implies one who is an army leader or a member of a larger group such as a family. The element ert refers to an occupation and is derived from the old Germanic "erth," meaning "cultivation". This could indicate that the original bearer of the name was a farmer or farmer's son.
The surname Folgert is not uncommon and is found in various languages and cultures, indicating that the name has a long history of spreading across multiple nations and populations. People with this name can be found all over the world, with a particularly strong presence in the Netherlands, Germany, northern Europe, and North America.
Overall, the surname Folgert reflects a long history of loyalty to one's family and to society as a whole. In its original use, it likely described a person who was an army leader or part of a family and could have also seen a connection to the important occupation of farming.
Order DNA origin analysisFolgert: Where does the name Folgert come from?
The last name Folgert is rare today, as it is not a common name in English-speaking countries. However, it still tends to be more common in certain areas of the world. In Germany, for example, Folgert is a fairly common last name. It is a diminutive form of the old German personal names Volkmar or Volker, meaning “people” or “folk” and “famous”, respectively. This suggests that someone with the last name Folgert likely had ancestors who were from Germany.
The name Folgert is also found in the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. There have also been instances of the surname being documented in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and even India. It is unclear when Folgert first began appearing in these countries, but it seems to have been in use since at least the 1700s in some places.
In the United States, Folgert is a much less common surname, and is likely only found in households of those with German ancestry. Although it is not particularly widespread, Folgert can still be found in some families today.
Variations of the surname Folgert
The surname Folgert has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Folger, Folgers, Follger, Folkert, Fulkert, Foulger, Foulgerd, Foulguards, Foulgurts, Foulkin, Foulkins, and Folgart.
The origin of the surname Folgert is derived from the Middle Dutch word ‘vogle’ which means ‘mischievous one, or prankster’. The earliest forms of the surname would have been Fogle or Fogel, and these names were likely used to describe someone with a tendency for mischief or pranking.
Over time, the Fogle or Fogel surname began to be spelled in different ways. Some of the most popular alternative spellings came about due to linguistic shifts between Middle Dutch and Early Modern Dutch, such as the addition or subtraction of letters. For example, the Middle Dutch ‘vogle’ eventually merged with the Early Modern Dutch ‘volger’, resulting in the surname Foulger.
Similarly, the Middle Dutch suffix ‘–ert’, which could be translated as meaning ‘one who does’, has been added to the surname at various times. This suffix is most commonly found as ‘Folgert’, ‘Folkert’, ‘Fulkert’, and ‘Foulgerd’.
In summary, the surname Folgert has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, which can be traced back to the Middle Dutch word ‘vogle’, meaning mischief-maker or prankster. Examples of these variants include Folger, Folgers, Follger, Folkert, Fulkert, Foulger, Foulgerd, Foulguards, Foulgurts, Foulkin, Foulkins, and Folgart.
Famous people with the name Folgert
- Wolfgang Folgert: YouTube creator and former lawyer based in Germany.
- Gert Folgert: former German Olympic athlete.
- Hubertus Folgert: German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD); he was a member of the German Parliament for 30 years.
- Joseph Folgert: German historian and philosopher.
- Alice Folgert: German businesswoman; she is the co-owner and CEO of Folgert Soft & Tech GmbH.
- Heinrich Folgert: German poet, playwright, and novelist.
- Thomas Folgert: German radio host and television presenter.
- Hans Folgert: German cyclist; he competed in the men's 4000 metres pursuit event at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
- Kristina Folgert: German singer and actress best known for her role in the award winning musical film, Der Mann im Mond.
- Helmut Folgert: German-American writer and playwright, famous for his highly successful play, Mariaberg (1966).