Surname Schelhaße - Meaning and Origin
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Schelhaße: What does the surname Schelhaße mean?
The last name Schelhaße is a German name derived from an occupation. The name translates to mean “cutter” in English. In most cases, it was used to describe someone who worked as a tailor or a cloth cutter.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the ability to craft and tailor clothing was a very lucrative skill, so it made sense that it would have been given as a surname for those who had this profession. During this time, those with the name often held a higher standing in social classes and had more finances than those without the name.
Today, the last name Schelhaße still exists. It is most commonly found in northern Germany, although it can also be found in other countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
The core meaning of the name has not changed much since its inception. It is still seen as a representation of someone who had a profession related to fabric cutting or tailoring.
In practice, Schelhaße is mainly used as a surname. For those who are not familiar with its earlier meaning, it has become a way of honouring the family’s sewing or fabric-cutting history, and many modern families continue to use the surname for this purpose.
Order DNA origin analysisSchelhaße: Where does the name Schelhaße come from?
The last name Schelhaße is particularly common in parts of Germany, including the northwestern state of Lower Saxony, where it is estimated that more than 1,200 people currently bear the name. In Lower Saxony, the name is particularly prominent around the region of Oldenburg, Emsland, and the city of Osnabrück, where it originates. It is also found frequently in the neighboring states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg, and Schleswig-Holstein. In other parts of Germany, the name is less common, but there are still people bearing the name in most states.
Outside of Germany, the surname can also be found in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the United States, Canada, Argentina, and South Africa. In the United States, the surname is common in areas with significant German-American populations, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
The surname Schelhaße likely originates from a Germanic personal name,meaning “woodcutter” or “woodchopper.” It is likely that the name was given to someone with this occupation at some point in the past. Additionally, the name may have its origin in the phrase “schelt hoch” meaning “speak high” or “speak highly,” indicating that the original bearer may have been someone of high status.
Overall, the name Schelhaße has a long and varied history. It is associated with Germanic origins and is particularly common in northwestern and southwestern Germany. Additionally, it is found in other parts of Europe, North America, and even as far away as South Africa. Despite its long history, the meaning and origins of the name remain somewhat mysterious.
Variations of the surname Schelhaße
The surname Schelhaße is a German locational surname derived from the old Middle High German verb "schelhan", meaning "to hunt." The German language has many regional dialects, so the spelling of this surname in various regions is slightly different, and may appear as Schelhaas, Schelhaase, or Schelhaasen. Additionally, the surname is spelled differently in other European languages, such as Dutch and French, where it may appear as Schelhase, Schelhasse, Schelhassen or Schalhaes.
Over time, the spelling of this surname has changed, as new generations adapted to various languages and cultures. The spelling Schelhase is of Dutch origin, while the spelling Schelhassen is derived from Flemish. The spelling Schelhasse is of French origin. The most common spelling is Schelhaas, and has been used in Germany since the 1600s.
The surname is also found under various surnames of different origins, such as Schellhase, Shellhase, Schelbass, and Shellbass. The Schellhase variation of the surname may have been derived from the German verb "schellen", meaning "to toll a bell" indicating a person who tended to church bells. The Shellhase variant likely derives from the German phrase "die Hase"" meaning "hare" and was given to a family who were avid hunters of hares.
The Schelbass surname is likely derived from the old German word “schelben," meaning "shell" and may have referred to a fisherman or those who came from a port or coastal area. Similarly, the Shellbass variant of the surname likely refers to someone from or around a port. All of these variants are linked to the original German Schelhaße surname and are derived from the same origin.
Famous people with the name Schelhaße
- Christian Schelhaße: German politician, Member of the German Bundestag
- Martin Schelhaße: German Paralympic swimmer
- Paul Schelhaße: German Olympic swimmer
- Peter Schelhaße: German musician and choir director
- Helmut Schelhaße: German basketball player
- Uwe Schelhaße: German football player
- Norbert Schelhaße: German politician, Member of the European Parliament
- Johann Schelhaße: German pastor and politician
- Edgar Schelhaße: German physician and professor
- Karl Ludwig Schelhaße: German linguist and philologist