Surname Thrailkeld - Meaning and Origin

Thrailkeld: What does the surname Thrailkeld mean?

Thrailkeld is an English surname of Old Norse origin. It is derived from a place name in Cumberland, near Keswick, in North West England. The name Thrailkeld translates to "thrall's spring" or "serf's spring" in Old Norse. This indicates the likely presence of a spring on the land where serfs or thralls (a term for slaves during the Viking Age) dwelled or worked. Thus, it is believed that the holders of this surname originally came from a family who possessed, or perhaps lived near, such a location in the past. As with many surnames of this type, it is highly likely that various families adopted the name independently and may not share a common ancestor.

Thrailkeld: Where does the name Thrailkeld come from?

The last name Thrailkeld is not a very common surname in the modern world, and most records of its present day usage are located in the United States. Its highest concentration is currently in Kentucky, followed by Ohio, Virginia, and Indiana. It is also found in small amounts in the Nebraska and Pennsylvania, as well as other states.

Originally, the name Thrailkeld is thought to be of Scotch-Irish descent from the term "thrawe–kelde”, which means “well of the thrush”, or a hollow in Scotland near a stream. It is believed to be the family name of generations of immigrants from Scotland, some of whom were involved in the tobacco trade.

The Thrailkeld surname is still active in the U.S. today. People by this name can be found in ancestry records, using an online search. Additionally, the surname appears in white pages listings, church records and in military records. It is also listed in a few business directories, which suggests a few people still in the tobacco trade today.

Though the Thrailkeld surname is not common, it has still withstood the test of time. People with this surname can be found in various cities throughout the United States and, in some cases, elsewhere in the world.

Variations of the surname Thrailkeld

Thrailkeld is an old English surname deriving from the Old English words "træel" (spacious) and "keld" (spring). Thus, its literal meaning is "spacious spring". Variants and spellings include Thrakell, Thraill, Thrall, Threil, Threlkeld, Threllkeld, Thralkill, Thrailkill, Thrallkill, Thrilkeld, and Thrilkill.

The original spelling has been preserved in some cases, although in others, the spelling was changed to adjust to Anglo-Norman conventions. For example, Thrailkeld often changed to Thraill - this is due to Anglo-Norman influence where 'æ' was used before a consonant, but 'ai' was used before a vowel.

Similar surnames exist, such as Thrille, Thrill, Thrillen, Thrills, Thrilley, Thrilly, and Thrilby. Other spelling variants include Thralle, Thralleld, Thralld, Thralll, Thrals, Thralse, Thresll, Thressel, Thrlys, and Trylby.

Additional names from the same origin include Everything, Frelkeld, Graseeld, Threel, Thrill, Thrilstone, and Thrilwood.

Finally, most if not all of the variants of the Thrailkeld surname are documented in towns of Westmoreland, in Lancashire, England. The earliest records of the name were found in 1379 in the Assize Court Rolls of simultaneously in Lancashire and Westmoreland.

Famous people with the name Thrailkeld

• Leslie Thrailkeld: American arts administrator and past president of the International Association of Art Critics.
• Emma Thrailkeld: American writer and the former editor-in-chief of The Harvard Crimson.
• Alfred Thrailkeld: American lawyer and former trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice.
• George Thrailkeld: American theatre producer and founder of the acclaimed Thrailkeld Theatre Group.
• Max Thrailkeld: American restaurateur and founder of the Max Thrailkeld Group of Restaurants.
• Jenny Thrailkeld: American television producer and creator of the series “Uncharted” on Showtime Network.
• Jessica Thrailkeld: American fashion designer and founder of the fashion label JT Collection.
• Matthew Thrailkeld: American fine artist, primarily known for creating oil paintings and sculptures.
• Robert Thrailkeld: American actor, director, and producer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals.
• Scott Thrailkeld: American investor and financial analyst, credited with creating the Thrailkeld Index of the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Other surnames

Thrailkill