Kurtz is a surname, mainly a German and Jewish (Ashkenazic/Yiddish), 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. 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 (1888–1959), German wrestler Bastian Kurz (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 (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 Federico Kurtz (1854–1920), German-Argentine botanist Frank Kurtz (1911–1996), diver and aviator Frank Kurtz (director), 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 (born 1962), American writer Hal Kurtz (born 1943), baseball player Heinrich Kurz (died 1557), Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Passau Heinz D. Kurz (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 (1899–1975), Czech concert pianist and professor Irma Kurtz (born 1935), American-born UK-based agony aunt Isolde Kurz (1853–1944), German poet and short story writer Jacob Banks Kurtz (1867–1960), US Congressman from Pennsylvania Jeff Kurtz (born 1954), American politician 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 (1809–1890), German Lutheran theologian Josef Kurz, or Josef Kruz (1889-?), Czech sports shooter Joseph Kurtz (born 1964), engineer and builder Joseph Edward Kurtz (born 1946), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky Justin Kurtz (born 1977), Canadian ice hockey player Karl Friedrich Kurz (1878–1962), Swiss-German-Norwegian novelist Katherine Kurtz (born 1944), American fantasy author Kurt Kurz (1927–2013), Austrian ice hockey player Lucy Kurtz (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 (born 1941), American historian Mike Kurtz (c. 1845–1904), American burglar and gang leader in New York City Nick Kurtz (born 2003), American baseball player 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 (1818–1871), Swiss painter of native Americans Samuel Kurtz, Welsh politician Sanne Kurz (born 1974), German cinematographer Sarah Kurtz, American solar cell researcher Scott Kurtz, author of the webcomic Player Vs. Player Selma Kurz (1874–1933), Austrian operatic soprano Stanley Kurtz, contributing editor for National Review Online Stephen G. Kurtz, American historian Steve Kurtz (1958–2025), American performance artist Swoosie Kurtz (born 1944), American actress, daughter of Frank Thomas Kurz (born 1988), German football player Thomas Eugene Kurtz (1928–2024), computer scientist, co-developed the BASIC programming language Toni Kurz (1913–1936), German mountain climber Vilém Kurz (1872–1945), Czech pianist and renowned piano teacher Werner Kurz, Canadian researcher on climate change accountability Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz (1834–1878), German botanist and garden director William Kurtz (photographer) (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, film character, from Apocalypse Now

References