Surname Welters - Meaning and Origin
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Welters: What does the surname Welters mean?
The surname Welters is derived from a Germanic personal name which was in turn derived from an Old English word meaning “hunter” or “woodsman”. The name may have been used to denote a person who obtained their livelihood in the hunting and/or herding industry, perhaps as a gamekeeper or hunter. This occupation may have been common in the ancestral homeland of the Welters family, although the original roots of the surname are unclear.
The name Welters may also be directly related to the geographical feature of a “welter”, which is a Germanic term for a shallow body of water such as a marsh or swamp. If this interpretation is correct, the family is likely to be descended from an ancestor who lived near such a body of water or was connected to it in some other way.
In recent times, the surname Welters has spread far and wide from its Germanic origins. As of the most recent US census, people bearing the name are found in 27 out of 50 states. While many of them live in the US, others have gone on to settle in various other countries.
Modern-day Welters may have descended from the original medieval family or adopted the name more recently. No matter the origins, the name Welters remains a reminder of a proud Germanic past.
Order DNA origin analysisWelters: Where does the name Welters come from?
The last name Welters is most commonly encountered in the United States and Canada. The United States has the highest concentration of Welters, with a significant number in California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York. There has been a relatively recent uptick in Welters in Canada too, primarily in the larger cities such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
The Welters surname likely arrived in the United States during the mid-1800s from Western or Central Europe. It was likely adopted as a patronymic surname, meaning that it derived from someone's father's name. It is believed that Welters is an Americanized version of the Old German word " Walther" which means "ruler of the army" or "ruler of the people".
The last name Welters has been known to encompass a variety of spellings, such as Welters, Welter, Wehlers, and Wellers. Despite minor spelling variations, the spelling Welters is the most common today. However, due to its relatively recent immigration to the US and Canada, the last name Welters can be found in a variety of countries all over the world.
Variations of the surname Welters
The surname Welters is of German origin and derives from the old German word "walter" which means "ruler of the army". Many variations, spellings and surnames are derived from the root of the name Welters. These include: Wattlers, Walters, Waltere, Welter, Weltere, Welders, Walder, Waeltz, Waeltzer, Walders and Welters.
The variants of the surname Welters can appear in either English speaking countries where the spelling of the name has been anglicized or in German speaking countries where the original spelling may still remain intact.
In England, the name was often spelled with an "s" on the end and has been anglicized to make it easier to pronounce. This could be seen in the surnames Welters, Walters and Waltere. In the United States, the roots of the name have been adapted and modified, resulting in the spellings of Waglers, Walthers, Walders and Welder.
In Germany, the original spelling of the name is still dominant, and the sides are mostly spelled with a "z". This can be seen in alternatively spelled surnames such as Waeltz or Waeltzer. Additionally, there are many other adaptations of the name that have developed over the years in Germany, including Weltersolute, Weltersint, Weltersbald, Weltersvald and Weltersymard.
Overall, the surname Welters is diverse in its variants and spellings, and these can be seen in both English speaking countries and German-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name Welters
- Anthony Welters: is an American business executive, and the chairman and co-founder of Us programmed medical care organization Covent to Health Solutions.
- Judy Welters: is a former American professional tennis player. She won two singles titles in her career- the 1979 YWCA Classic and the 1981 WTA Berkeley Hard Court.
- John Welters: is an award-winning journalist and fellow of the Academy of Science and Arts. He started his career in television news and eventually became a newspaper reporter.
- Willem Welters: is a Dutch organist, improvisator and conductor. He is the director of the conservatorium of Arnhem.
- Nicola Welters: is a German experimental electronic musician and multimedia artist based in Hamburg.
- Alfred Welters: is an American financial executive and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of the Alfred E. & Blanche E. Welters Foundation, a charitable foundation supporting health, education, and social services
- François Welters: is a Luxembourgish politician and former member of the Chamber of Deputies. He is also a current member of Deal Éolienne Remerschen Heedfongen
- Ralph Welters: is a German jazz and experimental musician and composer. He has released nine solo albums and collaborated with several other musicians.