Koontz
A German surname that likely began as a short form of a personal name before settling into its modern spelling in America.
The #3,392 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,298 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Koontz is generally treated as an Americanized spelling of a German surname such as Kunz or Kuntz, which themselves are shortened forms of the personal name Konrad (English Conrad). The underlying meaning of Konrad is usually explained as something like "bold counsel" or "brave advice." In this way, Koontz ultimately points back to an ancestral given name rather than to a place or occupation.
History
The spelling Koontz is most familiar in the United States, where German immigrant surnames were often reshaped to match English spelling habits and pronunciation. It is especially common in areas of early German-American settlement. Related forms such as Kuntz, Kunz, and Koonz appear in the broader German and American surname record.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name is part of a large family of surnames that all ultimately trace back to the medieval personal name Konrad.