Kurtz is a surname, mainly a German and Jewish ( Ashkenazic/

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...

), meaning someone who is short in height. It comes from the German word 'kurz' meaning 'short'.Kurtz
citing Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022 Variant:

Kurz Sebastian Kurz (; born 27 August 1986) is a former Austrian politician who twice served as chancellor of Austria, initially from December 2017 to May 2019 and then a second time from January 2020 to October 2021. Kurz was born and raised in ...

. Notable people with the surname include: * Jacob Kurz von Senftenau (or Latin: Jacob Curtius; Czech: Jakub Kurz ze Senftenavy), Imperial pro-chancellor for Rudolph II *

Adolf Kurz Adolf Kurz (22 April 1888 – 1959) was a German wrestler. He competed in the middleweight event at the 1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv ...

(1888–1959), German wrestler *

Bastian Kurz Bastian Kurz (born 23 September 1996) is a German Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for TSV Schwaben Augsburg in the Bayernliga. References External links

* * 1996 births Living people People from Altötting (d ...

(born 1996), German football midfielder * Bob Kurtz (animator), director, producer, artist, and designer, primarily in film and TV commercials * Bob Kurtz (broadcaster), American sportscaster * David B. Kurtz (1819–1898), American politician in California *

Edmund Kurtz Edmund Kurtz (29 December 190819 August 2004) was a Russian-born Australian cellist and music editor. He was renowned for his "impeccable technique", "innate musicality", and his "rich tone", with a "warm, sensuous quality that seldom loses its l ...

(1908–2004), Russian-born Australian cellist and music editor * Efrem Kurtz (1900–1995), conductor * Erwin Kurz (1846–1901), President of the Swiss National Council (1887/1888) * Eugene Kurtz (1923–2006), American composer * Frank Kurtz (1911–1996), diver and aviator *

Frank Kurtz (director) Frank Kurtz is a filmmaker, retailer, and editor, as well as the creator of the '' Creepsville'' comic book, which was originally published by Gogo Publications. Career Later, Kurtz self-published ''Creepsville'' under the Laughing Reindeer P ...

, American film director and comics writer * Fred Kurz (1918–1978), English football player * Gary Kurtz, American film producer (''Star Wars'') * George Kurtz American cybersecurity entrepreneur * Gerdina Hendrika Kurtz (1899–1989), Dutch historian, writer and archivist *

Glenn Kurtz Glenn Kurtz is an American writer and the author of ''Practicing: A Musician's Return to Music'' (Knopf, 2007; Vintage paperback, 2008). Biography Kurtz is a graduate of the New England Conservatory-Tufts University double degree program. He has ...

(born 1962), American writer *

Hal Kurtz Harold James Kurtz (born August 20, 1943), nicknamed "Bud", is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians before the 1962 season, and played for them in 1968. Upon making the Indians' team out ...

(born 1943), baseball player *

Heinrich Kurz Heinrich Kurz (died 1557) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Auxiliary Bishop of Passau (1526–1557).

(died 1557), Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Passau *

Heinz D. Kurz Heinz D. Kurz (born 29 March 1946) is professor of economics at the University of Graz. Selected publications * with Neri Salvadori as editor: ''The Elgar Companion to David Ricardo''. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, England 2015, . * ''Geschichte de ...

(born 1946), Austrian professor of economics * Hermann Kurz (1813–1873), German poet and novelist * Howard Kurtz (born 1953), American journalist, author and media critic *

Ilona Kurz ''Ilona'' is a Hungarian female given name, the traditional name of the Queen of the Fairies in Magyar folklore. Its etymology is uncertain. A common theory is that Ilona is cognate with the Greek given name '' Helen''. Diminutive forms includ ...

(1899-1975), Czech concert pianist and professor *

Irma Kurtz Irma Kurtz (born September 3, 1935) is an American-born UK-based writer and agony aunt. She has worked in that capacity for ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine for over 40 years. She lives in London's King’s Cross. Early life Kurtz was born in New Jerse ...

(born 1935), American-born UK-based agony aunt * Isolde Kurz (1853–1944), German poet and short story writer *

Jacob Banks Kurtz Jacob Banks Kurtz (October 31, 1867 – September 18, 1960) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Biography J. Banks Kurtz was born in Delaware Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from D ...

(1867–1960), US Congressman from Pennsylvania * Jerry Kurz (born 1949), one of the earliest leaders of Arena football * Johann Kurz (1913-1985), Roman Catholic Presbyter and schoolmaster of the Archbishop seminary Hollabrun *

Johann Heinrich Kurtz Johann Heinrich Kurtz (December 13, 1809 – April 26, 1890) was a German Lutheran theologian. Kurtz was born in Monschau near Aachen and educated at Halle and Bonn. Abandoning the idea of a commercial career, he gave himself to the study of ...

(1809–1890), German Lutheran theologian *

Josef Kurz Josef Kruz (born 1889, date of death unknown) was a Czechoslovak sports shooter. He competed in the 25 m rapid fire pistol 25 meter rapid fire pistol is one of the ISSF shooting events and is shot with .22 LR pistols. The event has been a pa ...

, or ''Josef Kruz'' (1889-?), Czech sports shooter *

Joseph Kurtz Joseph Edward Kurtz (born August 18, 1946) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville in Kentucky from 2007 to 2022. He previously served as the bishop of the Diocese of Kn ...

(born 1964), engineer and builder * Joseph Edward Kurtz (born 1946), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky * Joyce Kurtz (born 1958), American voice actress *

Justin Kurtz Justin Kurtz (born January 14, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 27 games for the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks.https://www.nhl.com/player/justin-kurtz-8462111 Playing career Kurtz was dra ...

(born 1977), Canadian ice hockey player *

Karl Friedrich Kurz Karl Friedrich Kurz (23 September 1878 – 26 June 1962) was a Swiss/German/Norwegian novelist. Kurz was born near Freiburg, Bremgarten, Markgräflerland in Germany. As a child he moved with his parents to Basel in Switzerland. He wanted to ...

(1878–1962), Swiss-German-Norwegian novelist * Katherine Kurtz (born 1944), fantasy author * Kurt Kurz (1927–2013), Austrian ice hockey player *

Lucy Kurtz Lucy Cometina Kurtz (11 April 1861 – 31 December 1938) was the wife of the first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde. Life Kurtz was born on 11 April 1861, in Berlin, Germany, and christened on 4 September 1861, in Liverpool, United Kingdom. ...

(1861–1937), wife of Douglas Hyde, 1st President of Ireland * Marco Kurz (born 1969), German footballer * Maxine Kurtz (1921-2009), American city planner *

Michael L. Kurtz Michael L. Kurtz (born August 26, 1941) is an American professor emeritus of history at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Kurtz is known for his research into the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Kurtz has written two books on the ...

(born 1941), American historian *

Mike Kurtz Michael "Sheeny Mike" Kurtz (November 24, 1904) was an American burglar and gang leader in New York City during the mid-to late 19th century. He was one of the co-founders of the Dutch Mob, along with Little Freddie and Johnny Irving, during th ...

(c. 1845–1904), American burglar and gang leader in New York City * Nico Kurz (born 1997), German darts player * Oliver Kurtz (born 1971), German hockey player * Otto Kurz (1908-1975), Austrian historian * Paul Kurtz (1925–2012), American philosopher and skeptic * Robert Kurz (born 1985), American basketball player * Robert Kurz (philosopher) (1943–2012), German Marxist, social critic and editor of the journal ''Exit!'' * Rosemary Kurtz (born 1930), American educator and politician *

Rudolf Friedrich Kurz Rudolph Friedrich Kurz (1818–1871) was a Swiss painter and writer who traveled to the United States in order to paint and study the Native Americans. He is mostly known on account of his journals, in which he presents an account of and an inte ...

(1818–1871), Swiss painter of native Americans *

Sarah Kurtz Sarah R. Kurtz is an American materials scientist known for her research on solar energy and photovoltaics, including the application of multi-junction solar cells in robotic spacecraft. Formerly a research fellow at the National Center for Ph ...

, American solar cell researcher *

Stanley Kurtz Stanley Kurtz is an American conservative commentator, author and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He has taught at Harvard University and the University of Chicago. He is also a contributing editor to ''National Review''. Ca ...

, contributing editor for National Review Online * Samuel Kurtz, Welsh politician *

Sanne Kurz Sanne Kurz; also Susanne Kurz (born 1 October 1974, in Ludwigshafen) is a German cinematographer. Life In 1995 Kurz studied documentary film and cinematography at the University of Television and Film Munich, and in 1999–2000 camera/light at ...

(born 1974), German cinematographer * Scott Kurtz, author of the webcomic Player Vs. Player *

Selma Kurz Selma Kurz (15 October 1874 – 10 May 1933) was an Austrian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano known for her brilliant coloratura technique. Background Selma Kurz was born in Bielsko-Biała to a very humble Jewish family of eleven childr ...

(1874–1933), Austrian operatic soprano *

Stephen G. Kurtz Stephen Guild Kurtz (September 9, 1926 – January 24, 2008) was an American academic and educator, who served as the eleventh principal of Phillips Exeter Academy. Background and career Kurtz was born on September 9, 1926, in Buffalo, New York. ...

, American historian *

Steve Kurtz Steve Kurtz is an American artist and co-founder of the art collective Critical Art Ensemble (CAE). His work with CAE is considered pioneering in the areas of politically engaged art, interventionist practices, and cultural research and action in ...

, performance artist * Swoosie Kurtz (born 1944), American actress, daughter of Frank *

Thomas Kurz Thomas Kurz (born 3 April 1988) is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Career Born in Altötting, Kurz began his career with SV 1963 Unterneukirchen, before joining Bayern Munich in 2003. After two years in Bayern's juni ...

(born 1988), German football player * Thomas Eugene Kurtz (born 1928), computer scientist, co-developed the BASIC programming language * Toni Kurz (1913–1936), German mountain climber *

Vilém Kurz Vilém Kurz (23 December 1872 – 25 May 1945) was a Czechs, Czech pianist and renowned piano teacher. Career Kurz was born in Havlíčkův Brod, Německý Brod, Bohemia in 1872. He became a professor at the State Conservatory in Lviv and Vi ...

(1872–1945), Czech pianist and renowned piano teacher *

Werner Kurz Werner Kurz is a Canadian research scientist at Canada's Pacific Forestry Centre in Victoria, British Columbia. He is leading the development of an accounting system to assess potential climate change known as the National Forest Carbon Accountin ...

, Canadian researcher on climate change accountability * Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz (1834–1878), German botanist and garden director *

William Kurtz (photographer) William Kurtz (1833 – December 5, 1904) was a German-American artist, illustrator, and photographer. He was also a pioneer in the development of halftone printing of color photographs. Early life Born in Hesse, Germany, he was apprenticed t ...

(1833–1904), German-American photographer based in New York City * William Henry Kurtz (1804–1868), US Congressman from Pennsylvania * William Joseph Kurtz (1935-2023), Polish Roman Catholic prelate

Fictional characters

* Kurtz (Heart of Darkness), novel character *

Colonel Kurtz Colonel Walter Kurtz, portrayed by Marlon Brando, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film ''Apocalypse Now''. Colonel Kurtz is based on the character of a nineteenth-century ivory trader, also cal ...

, film character, from ''Apocalypse Now''

References

{{surname German-language surnames Surnames of Jewish origin