Wolf is used as a family name or surname in Germany, England, Netherlands. It is 4 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: Wolf
No. of characters: 4
Origin: Germany, England, Netherlands
Meaning:

The variant of the Woolf. See Wolf - Throughout the middle ages the wolf was regarded with a sort of mysterious awe, from his association with the unseen world—perhaps in the first instance in consequence of his constant attendance on Woden. The semi mythology of those times invested this cruel beast with many remarkable attributes, some of which are still remembered in our nursery literature. Hence many of the old pagan personal names, which descended to Christian times, allude to him; and his name is largely compounded with our local nomenclature, a source in later times of family names. Grimm has collected a large number of Old German proper names compounded with wolf in his 'Deutsche Grammatik,' and it would be equally easy to do the same for the English, and other languages. In France a St. Lou, Lupus, succeeded a St. Ursus in the see of Troyes the V century, and there were several church dignitaries under Charlemagne who were called Lupus. The kinglet Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, is well-known as the kinsman and chief subject of the Conqueror. Lupellus, the diminutive, became softened into Lovell and Lovett, still to be found as English surnames; and there are some curious compounds of the word. Pel-de-leu, for instance-wolf's skin-is an ancient family name mentioned by Ducange, and both Vis-de-Lew and Viso Lupi- wolf's face, occur in Domesday—the former as a tenant-in-chief in Berkshire. In the Roll of Arms of temp. Edward II, Sir William Videlou bears three wolves' heads. Fosbroke mentions a man whose sur name represents him as worse than a wolf" —Archembaldus Pejor-Lupo. See Wolfhunt in this Dict - Anglo-Saxon wolf and hunta, wolf-hunter. A family of this name held lands in Derbyshire, by the service of keeping the Forest of the Peak clear of wolves. Nothing can be more erroneous than the popular opinion that King Edgar succeeded, by the peculiar impost of wolves' heads, which he levied upon his Welsh tributaries, in exterminating this villanous quadruped. That it existed at the time of the Norman Conquest, and even so late as the reign of Edward I, is evident from the following authorities. The Carmen de Bello Hastingensi states that William the Conqueror left the dead bodies of the English upon the battle-field, to be devoured "by worms, and nolres, and birds, and dogs"—(vermibus, atque lupis, avibus, canibusque voranda.) In the year 1851 many skulls of wolves were taken out of a disused medieval well at Pevensey Castle. In the time of Edward I. John Engayne held lands in Huntingdonshire by the tenure of maintaining dogs for the King, for the purpose of hunting the wolf, fox, cat, badger, wild-boar, and hare, in several specified counties. In the Patent Rolls of 9th of the same monarch, John Gifford of Brymmesfield is empowered to destroy the wolves in all the king's forests throughout the realm; while in the same year Peter de Corbet has a similar permission to catch wolves in the royal forests in several counties

as a surname derived from a useful employment. Woolf and Woolfe are among naturalized German Jews in this country.

Lastname is the variant of the Woolf. Equivalent of Wolf that means wolf or dweller at the sign of the wolf.

Dweller at the sign of the wolf; one with the characteristics of a wolf; descendant of Vulf, a pet form of names beginning with Wolf, as Wolfbrand, Wolfgang and Wolfgard.

A variant form of Wulf. Descendant of Vulf, a pet form of names beginning with Wolf, as Wolfbrand, Wolfgang and Wolfgard; dweller at the sign of the wolf; one with the qualities of a wolf.

The wolf.

Throughout the middle ages the wolf was regarded with a sort of mysterious awe, from his association with the unseen world—perhaps in the first instance in consequence of his constant attendance on Woden. The semi mythology of those times invested this cruel beast with many remarkable attributes, some of which are still remembered in our nursery literature. Hence many of the old pagan personal names, which descended to Christian times, allude to him; and his name is largely compounded with our local nomenclature, a source in later times of family names. Grimm has collected a large number of Old German proper names compounded with wolf in his 'Deutsche Grammatik,' and it would be equally easy to do the same for the English, and other languages. In France a St. Lou, Lupus, succeeded a St. Ursus in the see of Troyes the V century, and there were several church dignitaries under Charlemagne who were called Lupus. The kinglet Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, is well-known as the kinsman and chief subject of the Conqueror. Lupellus, the diminutive, became softened into Lovell and Lovett, still to be found as English surnames; and there are some curious compounds of the word. Pel-de-leu, for instance-wolf's skin-is an ancient family name mentioned by Ducange, and both Vis-de-Lew and Viso Lupi- wolf's face, occur in Domesday—the former as a tenant-in-chief in Berkshire. In the Roll of Arms of temp. Edward II, Sir William Videlou bears three wolves' heads. Fosbroke mentions a man whose sur name represents him as worse than a wolf" —Archembaldus Pejor-Lupo. See Wolfhunt in this Dict - Anglo-Saxon wolf and hunta, wolf-hunter. A family of this name held lands in Derbyshire, by the service of keeping the Forest of the Peak clear of wolves. Nothing can be more erroneous than the popular opinion that King Edgar succeeded, by the peculiar impost of wolves' heads, which he levied upon his Welsh tributaries, in exterminating this villanous quadruped. That it existed at the time of the Norman Conquest, and even so late as the reign of Edward I, is evident from the following authorities. The Carmen de Bello Hastingensi states that William the Conqueror left the dead bodies of the English upon the battle-field, to be devoured "by worms, and nolres, and birds, and dogs"—(vermibus, atque lupis, avibus, canibusque voranda.) In the year 1851 many skulls of wolves were taken out of a disused medieval well at Pevensey Castle. In the time of Edward I. John Engayne held lands in Huntingdonshire by the tenure of maintaining dogs for the King, for the purpose of hunting the wolf, fox, cat, badger, wild-boar, and hare, in several specified counties. In the Patent Rolls of 9th of the same monarch, John Gifford of Brymmesfield is empowered to destroy the wolves in all the king's forests throughout the realm; while in the same year Peter de Corbet has a similar permission to catch wolves in the royal forests in several counties

as a surname derived from a useful employment. Woolf and Woolfe are among naturalized German Jews in this country.

How popular is Wolf?

Wolf is common in Germany, United States, Austria, Brazil, Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Poland, Canada, Hungary, Slovakia, Egypt, Czechia, England, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Morocco, Thailand, Mexico, Italy, Sweden, Ghana, Belgium, Bangladesh, Chile, Spain, Dominican Republic, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Suriname, Portugal, Ecuador, Romania, New Zealand, China, Paraguay, Singapore, Norway, Colombia, Croatia.

Wolf is ranked 1487 on our list.

Despite the fact that the number of Wolf bearers increased by 1.63 per cent in 2010 US census to 70031 since 2000, the surname slipped by 47 spots and ranked at 474. The last name was found in around 2 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 93.67 94.96
Hispanic or Latino 2.16 1.4
Others 1.46 1.15
Black 1.07 1.04
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.05 0.97
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 0.61 0.48
Wolf is quite popular last name mostly concentrated in Germany which signifies its Germany provenence. Around 361801 person has been found who wears Wolf as their family name. Wolf is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with hundred thousands of Wolf:
16 Germany195,172
388 United States100,955
Countries with ten thousands of Wolf:
31 Austria15,094
Countries with thousands of Wolf:
1,418 Brazil6,336
135 Switzerland5,062
342 Netherlands4,520
1,889 France3,862
1,814 Poland3,026
1,886 Canada2,883
558 Hungary2,027
129 Slovakia1,986
5,270 Egypt1,678
849 Czechia1,532
4,911 England1,480
4,883 South Africa1,422
2,871 Australia1,303
2,737 Argentina1,301
3,883 Saudi Arabia1,113
Countries with hundreds of Wolf:
542 Denmark962
6,047 Morocco920
12,357 Thailand794
4,773 Mexico781
16,155 Italy652
1,311 Sweden640
5,381 Ghana554
3,382 Belgium529
11,259 Bangladesh360
2,319 Chile341
10,783 Spain323
2,069 Dominican Republic277
2,224 Slovenia259
260 Luxembourg254
306 Suriname243
2,732 Portugal217
5,649 Ecuador201
12,206 Romania185
4,801 New Zealand165
571 China162
1,558 Paraguay130
1,839 Singapore116
6,392 Norway115
6,531 Colombia113
8,198 Croatia103
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
7,096 Iraq89
70 Liechtenstein87
103,724 Indonesia85
98,554 Philippines77
25,810 Japan75
5,151 Uruguay75
8,674 Venezuela70
6,926 Kuwait67
4,518 Ireland64
227,026 India59
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
35,110 Greece49
17,612 Israel49
31,286 Malaysia45
7,250 Wales35
9,329 Scotland33
8,109 Estonia31
4,482 Panama30
9,043 Qatar28
2,395 Costa Rica27
2,723 New Caledonia26
20,703 Peru26
18,579 Finland24
45,241 Papua New Guinea24
91,291 Turkey23
175,411 Ukraine19
3,086 French Polynesia18
3,230 Hong Kong18
6,804 Northern Ireland16
1,045 Aruba14
12,031 Bosnia and Herzegovina14
19,964 Serbia14
1,123 American Samoa11
6,695 Jamaica11
9,886 Namibia11
8,509 Syria11
2,636 Vietnam11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
5,853 Guatemala10
11,823 Haiti10
5,469 Bahrain9
1,883 Fiji9
16,126 Jordan9
5,799 Sudan9
922 Cayman Islands8
14,756 Lebanon8
17,989 Taiwan8
8,814 Trinidad and Tobago8
1,930 United States Virgin Islands8
23,122 Afghanistan7
668 Monaco7
4,655 Nicaragua7
84,222 Pakistan7
2,743 Belize6
6,441 Bolivia6
991 Gibraltar6
29,369 Liberia6
939 Northern Mariana Islands6
14,710 Tunisia6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Germany

Agnes Wolf hailed from Germany. 43 years old embarked for USA from Bremen on Jane Morrison and arrived on June 15, 1852. 24 years old Ferdinand Wolf, 16 years old Louis Wolf, G.Adam Wolf (23) Carpenter, Aaron Wolf, aged 23, Farmer Charles Wolf, Philipp Wolf, aged 25, Babette Wolf, aged 23, Carl Wolf (3), and 5152 other Wolf around 40.92% of whom were farmer while others worked as carpenter and shoemaker, bookbinder, cooper, baker, cultivator, cigar maker, stone cutter, mechanic, laborer, merchant, brewer, locksmith, tailor, butcher, bricklayer, joiner, lawyer, teacher, weaver, servant, lender, dyer, miller, rope maker, cabinet maker, peddler, glazier, daughter, tradesman, miner, mason, musician, turner, peasant, smith, tanner, clerk, tinker, saddler, paper hanger, painter, master, cartwright, gardener, engineer, shepherd, spinster, scholar, domestic, writer, blacksmith, sailor, seamstress, goldsmith, confectioner, cloth manufacturer, watchmaker, matron, upholsterer, hatter, undefined code, gentleman, nurse, machinist, tinman, engraver, wheelwright, traveler, printer, tin maker, waiter, landlord, barber, salesperson, dealer, artist, tourist, student, hair dresser, cook, dressmaker, keeper, broker, share broker, publisher migrated to US.

Wolf Namesakes

  • Hugo Wolf, Austrian composer of Slovene origin
  • Friedrich August Wolf, German Classicist and is considered the founder of modern Philology
  • John Baptist Wolf, historian, specializing in modern European history
  • Zev Wolf, third son of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotshov
  • Daniel James Wolf, American composer
  • Marek Wolf, Czech astronomer
  • Little Wolf, Northern Só'taeo'o Chief and Sweet Medicine Chief of the Northern Cheyenne
  • Mary Hunter Wolf, American theater director and producer
  • Anne Wolf, Belgian jazz pianist
  • Linda Wolf, American-born photographer and writer
  • Christopher Wolf, American attorney specializing
  • Rita Wolf, British-Indian actress and theatre producer
  • Catherine Wolf, important amateur American tennis player
  • Leonard Wolf, poet, author, teacher
  • Hazel Wolf, activist and environmentalist
  • Nathanael Matthaeus von Wolf, German botanist, physician, and astronomer
  • Garin Wolf, American television writer and playwright
  • Geralyn Wolf, American bishop
  • Johann Christoph Wolf, German Christian Hebraist, polyhistor
  • Øystein Wingaard Wolf, Norwegian poet and author
  • Morton S. Wolf, realty executive
  • Manfred Wolf, East German former ski jumper
  • Guntram Wolf, maker of modern and historical woodwind instruments
  • Nico de Wolf, Dutch amateur football player
  • Harry Benjamin Wolf, American politician and Congressman from Maryland
  • William P. Wolf, nineteenth-century politician
  • Heinrich Wolf, Austrian chess master
  • Siegfried Reginald Wolf, Austrian chess master
  • Ricardo Wolf, Israeli inventor, diplomat, and philanthropist
  • Anton Aloys Wolf, Prince-Bishop of Laibach during the 19th century
  • Theodor Wolf, German naturalist
  • Susan R. Wolf, American moral philosopher and philosopher of action
  • Emil Wolf, Czech-born American physicist
  • Max Wolf, German astronomer and a pioneer
  • Eric Wolf, anthropologist, best
  • Rudolf Wolf, Swiss astronomer and mathematician best
  • František Wolf, Czech mathematician
  • Montrose Wolf, American psychologist
  • Naomi Wolf, American liberal progressive feminist author
  • Howlin' Wolf, Chicago blues singer, guitarist
  • Markus Wolf, was head of the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance
  • Christa Wolf, German literary critic, novelist, and essayist
  • George Wolf, seventh Governor of Pennsylvania from 1829 to 1835
  • Scott Wolf, American actor
  • Guitar Wolf, Japanese garage rock power trio
  • Edith Wolf, Swiss former wheelchair racer
  • Dale E. Wolf, American businessman and politician
  • Dick Wolf, American television producer, best known as the creator and executive producer of the 'Law & Order' franchise, which since 1990 has included six police/courtroom dramas and four international spinoffs, as well as a creator and executive producer of the 'Chicago' franchise, which since 2012 has included four Chicago-based police
  • Joseph Wolf, German artist
  • Kate Wolf, American folk singer and songwriter
  • Fred Alan Wolf, American theoretical physicist specializing
  • Laurent Wolf, French electro house producer and DJ. He is the author of several compilations that contain his own tracks and also his remixes
  • Hieronymus Wolf, sixteenth-century German historian and humanist
  • Peter Wolf, American musician best known as the lead vocalist for the J. Geils Band
  • Patrick Wolf, English singer-songwriter from South London
  • Konrad Wolf, East German film director
  • Christi Wolf, American bodybuilder

Wolf Namesakes

  • Hugo Wolf, Austrian composer of Slovene origin
  • Friedrich August Wolf, German Classicist and is considered the founder of modern Philology
  • John Baptist Wolf, historian, specializing in modern European history
  • Zev Wolf, third son of Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotshov
  • Daniel James Wolf, American composer
  • Marek Wolf, Czech astronomer
  • Little Wolf, Northern Só'taeo'o Chief and Sweet Medicine Chief of the Northern Cheyenne
  • Mary Hunter Wolf, American theater director and producer
  • Anne Wolf, Belgian jazz pianist
  • Linda Wolf, American-born photographer and writer
  • Christopher Wolf, American attorney specializing
  • Rita Wolf, British-Indian actress and theatre producer
  • Catherine Wolf, important amateur American tennis player
  • Leonard Wolf, poet, author, teacher
  • Hazel Wolf, activist and environmentalist
  • Nathanael Matthaeus von Wolf, German botanist, physician, and astronomer
  • Garin Wolf, American television writer and playwright
  • Geralyn Wolf, American bishop
  • Johann Christoph Wolf, German Christian Hebraist, polyhistor
  • Øystein Wingaard Wolf, Norwegian poet and author
  • Morton S. Wolf, realty executive
  • Manfred Wolf, East German former ski jumper
  • Guntram Wolf, maker of modern and historical woodwind instruments
  • Nico de Wolf, Dutch amateur football player
  • Harry Benjamin Wolf, American politician and Congressman from Maryland
  • William P. Wolf, nineteenth-century politician
  • Heinrich Wolf, Austrian chess master
  • Siegfried Reginald Wolf, Austrian chess master
  • Ricardo Wolf, Israeli inventor, diplomat, and philanthropist
  • Anton Aloys Wolf, Prince-Bishop of Laibach during the 19th century
  • Theodor Wolf, German naturalist
  • Susan R. Wolf, American moral philosopher and philosopher of action
  • Emil Wolf, Czech-born American physicist
  • Max Wolf, German astronomer and a pioneer
  • Eric Wolf, anthropologist, best
  • Rudolf Wolf, Swiss astronomer and mathematician best
  • František Wolf, Czech mathematician
  • Montrose Wolf, American psychologist
  • Naomi Wolf, American liberal progressive feminist author
  • Howlin' Wolf, Chicago blues singer, guitarist
  • Markus Wolf, was head of the Main Directorate for Reconnaissance
  • Christa Wolf, German literary critic, novelist, and essayist
  • George Wolf, seventh Governor of Pennsylvania from 1829 to 1835
  • Scott Wolf, American actor
  • Guitar Wolf, Japanese garage rock power trio
  • Edith Wolf, Swiss former wheelchair racer
  • Dale E. Wolf, American businessman and politician
  • Dick Wolf, American television producer, best known as the creator and executive producer of the 'Law & Order' franchise, which since 1990 has included six police/courtroom dramas and four international spinoffs, as well as a creator and executive producer of the 'Chicago' franchise, which since 2012 has included four Chicago-based police
  • Joseph Wolf, German artist
  • Kate Wolf, American folk singer and songwriter
  • Fred Alan Wolf, American theoretical physicist specializing
  • Laurent Wolf, French electro house producer and DJ. He is the author of several compilations that contain his own tracks and also his remixes
  • Hieronymus Wolf, sixteenth-century German historian and humanist
  • Peter Wolf, American musician best known as the lead vocalist for the J. Geils Band
  • Patrick Wolf, English singer-songwriter from South London
  • Konrad Wolf, East German film director
  • Christi Wolf, American bodybuilder

Related Family Names: