Surname Altenscheidt - Meaning and Origin

Altenscheidt: What does the surname Altenscheidt mean?

Altenscheidt is a German surname, derived from two distinct sources: 'Alt', meaning 'old', and 'Schenken', which denotes a donor or giver. The combination of these two words translates to 'old giver', or one who donates or has donated willingly from the past. The name is most commonly found in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Originally, Altenscheidt may have been a sign of respect given to a former noble or benefactor. As such, it is a name indicative of a long history and a sense of respect for tradition and acceptance of a person’s prior deeds, regardless of how long they have been gone. The idea of the Altenscheidt name is to honor that which has come before and recognize its importance, even if that history is ancient.

Today, the Altenscheidt surname remains fairly common, especially in Germanic-speaking countries, and is indicative of a proud line of people who have grown from their lineage and the traditions upon which it was established. The name continues to be seen as a sign of respect and admiration for all that came before, and of a commitment to build upon one's family’s legacy rather than discard it in the pursuit of something new.

Altenscheidt: Where does the name Altenscheidt come from?

The last name Altenscheidt is of German origin and is found most commonly in Germany today. First recordings of this name include Valentin Altenscheidt who lived in 1650 in Lutherstadt, Eisleben in Germany. Since then, the last name has been found to be primarily located in the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia. This includes cities such as Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Dortmund.

Today, the last name is not only found in Germany but also in other European countries. Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Austria, Benelux, and other regions of Germany are known to have a population of Altenscheidt’s. There is also a smaller population of this name in the United States, primarily in the state of California. However, the majority of the population of this surname is still found in Germany.

Overall, this last name has been compared to the prominence of other last names originating from the same German region. Altenscheidt is considered to be fairly common, with around 1,332 people in Germany carrying this last name today. This name continues to be spread across Europe and is gaining more success outside of Germany.

Variations of the surname Altenscheidt

The Altenscheidt surname has evolved in different regions and countries in many different ways and is known under a variety of spellings and variants. In Germany, variations of the surname include Altenscheit, Algenscheid, Altscheid, Altscheit, Altscheydt, Altschit, Alschit, Altshad, Altssheid, Altshett, Alttschaidt, and Altzschaidt.

In France and Belgium, many variants are of the same origin, but are written differently due to the change of language. Some of the spellings are Alenschet, Alonzheidt, Alencheit, Alenschyde, Alenzcht, Alenschyt, Alentchet, Elenchaid, Elenscheid, Eltenscheid, and Helenscheid.

In other countries, the surname is often seen spelled differently due to slight variations in language. In Norway, variations include Althunskjold, Alsin, Altenberg, Altofsen, Alflaat, Hasselberg, Hasselfelt,, and Hanseng.

In England, many migrants to the British Isles from Germany took up a variety of spellings of the same surname. These variations include Altenheim, Altonheim, Altinger, Allenshine, Allenshaft, Alstein, and Allentoft.

Finally, the very rare surname Altensckheydt is seen mainly in Poland and Eastern Europe.

Famous people with the name Altenscheidt

• Agathon Friedrich Altenscheidt, an Austrian flute virtuoso and pedagogue
• Matthias Altenscheidt, a German former film director, author and publisher
• Isabel Altenscheidt, a German documentary filmmaker
• Rachael Altenscheidt, a British former television presenter
• Franziska Altenscheidt, a German doctoral candidate in political science
• Dennis Altenscheidt, a German professional football midfielder
• Kirsten Altenscheidt, a German television author
• Henrik Altenscheidt, a German business executive in the telecommunications industry
• Claus Altenscheidt, a German former ski jumper
• Petra Altenscheidt, a German chef and cookbook author

Other surnames

Altenscheid