Surname Balles - Meaning and Origin
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Balles: What does the surname Balles mean?
The last name Balles is of English origin, stemming from the Anglo-Saxon personal name of Balle, or bael meaning “bold” or “famous.” It is believed that Balles may also be derived from the Old Norse term bolli meaning “cup-bearer” or “messenger.”
Balles is found mainly in England, where it was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. It is thought to have originated as a topographic name given to someone who lived by a bald hill. In Yorkshire, the name is derived from the Old English hēahbāl, meaning “high and bald.”
Variations of the Balles surname can be found, including Balls, Balless, and Balliss. Over the years, the name has also become Bailey, Balle, Balaz, and Bolle in other countries.
The Balles family has produced many notable individuals. The late Sir Ernest Balles was a renowned British military leader while his son Captain Reginald Balles was an esteemed English soldier and explorer who served in Sudan and East Africa during the first and second world wars.
The Balles family is traceable to the early Medieval times. It has remained a prominent surname in the English and other countries, with the earliest known records dating back to the 10th century. Its members are known for their loyalty, courage, and entrepreneurship.
Order DNA origin analysisBalles: Where does the name Balles come from?
The last name Balles is most commonly found in countries of Germanic and Slavic origin. In particular, Germany and the Lesser Poland region of Poland have the highest concentration in terms of numbers of individuals with the last name Balles.
In Germany, the name is most common in the southern and central states, including Bavaria and the Rhineland. It is believed to be particularly widespread in regions more heavily populated by Germans who were displaced after World War II.
In Poland, the last name is concentrated in Lesser Poland, where it is most densely found in the historic royal city of Krakow. It is believed to have originated among the nobility, and is still most commonly associated with the upper classes.
Outside of its areas of origin, the last name Balles is found in other European countries, predominantly those with close ties to Germany. It is also found at lower levels in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. It is believed that a small but notable number of people with the last name Balles live in Latin America and other parts of the world, as a result of historical migration and diaspora from European countries.
Variations of the surname Balles
The surname Balles is thought to have its origins from the old French word "baller," which was a term used to describe a person who exchanged goods or commodities. Variants of the surname Balles include Bailes, Bales, Balls, Baalls, Bale, Ball, Balla, Baller, Ballers, Ballesier, Balle, Ballesen, Balleser, Ballestar, Ballette, Bayles, Bialles, and Byales.
Variations in spelling the surname Balles are also common. Some common misspellings of the surname Balles are Ballas, Balles, Ballis and Ballus. While there is no definitive origin for how these different spellings developed, it is likely that they evolved over time due to regional accents and dialects, as well as illiteracy in certain areas.
Surnames that are thought to have the same origin as Balles include Bailes, Baalls, Balls, Balle, Baller, and Bale. These surnames are thought to have derived from the old French "baller" term, which was used to refer to a person who exchanges goods or commodities. The spelling differences in these surnames likely evolved from the same source word over time as it was used in different regions.
Additionally, there are also some regional variations of the surname Balles. For example, in France, the variant form "Ballereau" is sometimes used. In England, variants of the surname that appear include Bayles and Byles. It is also very common to see spelling variations of the surname, such as Balla, Ballesen, and Balleser.
Overall, the surname Balles has many variants, spellings, and related surnames that are thought to have the same origin. The popularity of the surname likely comes from its meaning in French: a person who exchanges goods or commodities.
Famous people with the name Balles
- Larry Balles: Professional boxer and 1972 Olympic silver medalist in the welterweight division.
- Jesse Balles: An American slam poet, author, and professor in the English department from Keene State College.
- Jonathan Balles: Former professional tennis player, competing from the early 1980s to the late 1990s.
- Gordon Balles: Australian architect and member of the Council of Master Builders of Australasia.
- Joseph Balles: US Marine Corps veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star Medal for heroism during the Vietnam War.
- Per Balles: A Danish-Swedish musician best known as the bassist of the Swedish indie rock band The Hives.
- Donald Balles: National president of The Leatherneck Club, a nonprofit fraternal organization for United States Marines.
- Hanna Balles: German television actress known best for her appearances in various telenovelas and sitcoms.
- E.A Balles: Writer, journalist, and editor-in-chief of Whysago magazine, an online publication based in Madrid.
- Chris Balles: Host and executive producer of the popular web series Cooking with Chris Balles.