Meaning and origin
The last name Rudolph has its origin in the Germanic and Old Norse languages. It is derived from the name Rudolf, which is composed of the elements "ruod," meaning "fame" or "glory," and "wolf," meaning "wolf." Variations of the name have been found across different European countries, and it can be traced back to medieval times.
The longer story
It is an English and German surname that is derived from the given name Rudolph, which itself has ancient Germanic origins.
The name Rudolph can be traced back to the early medieval period, and it was first recorded in written documents in the 11th century. The surname has evolved over time with various spelling variations, including Rudolf, Rudolphe, and Rudolphi.
It is particularly associated with the patron saint of Bohemia, Saint Rudolph of Gubbio, who lived in the 13th century. Saint Rudolph was known for his charitable acts and was revered as a protector of the poor and the sick.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
Similar spellings
#1,808
Rudolph was the 1,808th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 19,854 people, about 6.4 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Rudolph
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Rudolph is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.