Berchtold

Berchtold is a Germanic given name and surname with roots in the German-speaking world. It derives from Old High German elements meaning “bright, famous” (berht) and a second element often associated with rulership or power. Over time, the name has appeared in various spellings, including Berchtoldt and Berthold, and it continues to be used in German-speaking countries.

Historically, Berchtold is associated with noble lineages in the Alpine region, especially the House of Zähringen in what is now southwestern Germany and Switzerland. Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, is traditionally credited with founding the city of Bern in the late 12th or early 13th century, a key event linked to the spread of the name in Swiss history. The Berchtold surname later appears among Austrian and other Central European nobility and officials.

Notable individuals with the surname include Leopold Berchtold (1863–1942), an Austrian statesman who served as foreign minister of Austria-Hungary during the lead-up to World War I. The name has also been borne by various other figures in German-speaking regions, spanning historical nobility to contemporary professionals.

In modern use, Berchtold remains a surname and, less commonly, a given name in German-speaking areas. It is related to the given name Berthold, and its variants reflect regional orthographic differences.