Stoltzfus Family History

The Americanized form of the German Stolzfuss likely originates from the Middle Low German term Stoltefoth. This nickname consists of the elements stolt meaning ‘proud’ and vōt which translates to ‘foot’, suggesting a person with a haughty gait.

Alternatively, it may derive from the Middle Low German verb stolten, meaning ‘to stalk about’, combined with vōt ‘foot’. This could refer to a nickname for someone with a peg-leg or a person who used crutches.

Another possible origin is the Middle High German term stolzen, meaning ‘to limp’, alongside fuos which means ‘leg’. In this case, it would denote someone who walked with a limp.

The surname Stolzfuss is quite rare in Germany, making it an uncommon name in its country of origin.

For comparison, one might look at the variant Stoltzfoos.