Surname Mehrwaldt - Meaning and Origin

Mehrwaldt: What does the surname Mehrwaldt mean?

The last name Mehrwaldt is German in origin and has multiple possible meanings. It could be derived from the German words "mehr," meaning "more" or "greater," and "wald," meaning "forest." Combined, the name could mean "more forest" or "greater forest," referring to a greater or larger wooded area or a family that lived in a large forest region. It could also come from mehr, meaning more, and walden, meaning "to rule or to become master of," so it may refer to a family that had some kind of power over a particular forest.

The Mehrwaldt surname may have also originated from the Middle High German word murwalte, which means "refugee," or from the Low German term möhrwald, which means "border forest." This suggests the family may have originated as refugees who settled in a sparsely populated area or near a political boundary between territories.

The Mehrwaldt last name could also be a combination of two separate words. Mehr means "more or greater" while Wald, from the ancient Germanic term waldaz, refers to a political leader or ruler. Combining the two words could mean a person belonging to a powerful family of rulers that had some kind of authority over a larger area of land or a larger forest.

No matter which derivation of the name is correct, the last name Mehrwaldt likely signifies some kind of power or dominion over a larger piece of land or a larger body of people.

Mehrwaldt: Where does the name Mehrwaldt come from?

The last name Mehrwaldt is most common today in Germany, particularly in the northern and central regions of the country. According to the German telephone directory, there are currently around 11,000 people living in Germany who bear the Mehrwaldt surname, making it one of the country’s most common surnames.

The surname has a long history in Germany, with records referencing Mehrwaldt families as early as the 1400s. The name is a combination of the German words 'mehr' and 'waldt' which mean ‘more’ and ‘forest’ respectively, and may be a reference to a particular area of the former Kingdom of Prussia, now part of modern Poland.

The Mehrwaldt name can also be found in many other countries worldwide, owing to German migration throughout the centuries. Notable people bearing the name include tennis player Karsten Mehrwaldt, cyclist Erik Mehrwaldt, and Lübeck’s Lord Mayor from 1910-1911, Friedrich Mehrwaldt.

As of 2021, the Mehrwaldt name is still popular in the lands of its origin, but is also spread across Europe and beyond, a testament to the far-reaching influence of German culture and people.

Variations of the surname Mehrwaldt

Mehrwaldt is an Old German surname that originates from the Middle High German words “mehr” meaning many and “walt” meaning power. It is most commonly found in countries of German descent including Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Variants & Spellings

Mehrvelt, Meervelt, Metzvelt, Merzvelt, Merwalt, Mörwalt, Mürwill, Meerwold, Meerwolt, Merholt, Merholz, Meerholt, heerholt, Mietzel, Mietzelfeldt, Mietzner, Meerhode, Meerhöltz, Merhölz, Merhöltz, Metzler, Metzeler and Meerhölzer.

Surnames of the Same Origin

Other surnames that have derived from the Middle High German “mehr” and “walt” include Marvold, Myhrvold, Mohrwald, Marwal, Marwall, Mohrwaldt, Morwallt, Morwal, Merwald, Marwold and Marwill.

Overall, the Mehrwaldt surname is widespread throughout Europe with related variants and spellings and other surnames of the same origin. In Germany and Austria, the surname is among the most frequent. It is likely that the surname dates back to the Middle Ages and was used to denote a powerful family or nobleman at the time.

Famous people with the name Mehrwaldt

• Thorsten Mehrwaldt: Former First Vice President of Deutsche Bank AG
• Gerd Mehrwaldt: Former Chairman of the Vattenfall Europe AG
• Monica Mehrwaldt: Architect
• Fritz Mehrwaldt: German politician
• Ricarda Mehrwaldt: German author
• Manfred Mehrwaldt: German football player
• Tom Mehrwaldt: Former German footballer
• Georg Mehrwaldt: Businessman and author
• Hans-Georg Mehrwaldt: Portuguese film director
• Uwe Mehrwaldt: German footballer
• Tobias Mehrwaldt: Austrian artist
• Christian Mehrwaldt: Swiss professional soccer player
• Friedrich Mehrwaldt: German composer
• Heinrich Mehrwaldt: German musician

Other surnames

Mehrwald