Wolfe Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Wolfe last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Wolfe last name
Meaning of the Wolfe last name: wolf, a nickname or personal name. Wolfe comes from the Old English word for a wolf, used as a nickname for a fierce or cunning man. The name is found across England, and a Norman family of the same name settled in Ireland soon after the invasion. A curious detail: two famous bearers were the general who died winning Quebec for Britain and the American novelist Thomas Wolfe.
Arms associated with the Wolfe name
In English heraldry, arms belonged to one person at a time and passed down to the eldest son, so different Wolfe lines used their own versions.
Get your full Wolfe family history
This is only a glimpse of the Wolfe story. The full Wolfe history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Wolfe coat of arms. Get the full Wolfe report.
Wolfe name FAQ
What does the Wolfe name mean?
Wolf, a nickname or personal name. Common variants include Wolf, Woolf, Wulf.
Where does the Wolfe surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in Ireland, the United States and Canada.
Is there a Wolfe coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Wolfe coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.