Surname Schitthelm - Meaning and Origin
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Schitthelm: What does the surname Schitthelm mean?
The last name Schitthelm is a unique surname of German origin. It has many spellings, including Schittelm, Schittelmeier, Shittelm, Schitelmeier, Shittelmeier, and Schittlemeier. The name is derived from "schitt," which means twig in German, and the suffix "helm," which is short for "Helm" and means helmet or protection.
The Schitthelm surname would have been used to refer to someone who lived or worked near or along a river with many twigs and branches. It likely also refers to someone who was well-protected from danger, either physically or financially. Alternatively, the name may be derived from a nickname for the ancestor of a family line living near a body of water, or for someone who made their living gathering twigs or branches for firewood.
Today, the Schitthelm surname is most commonly found in the northern part of Germany. There is a popular restaurant in the historical city of Mainz that takes its name from this unique surname.
Overall, the last name Schitthelm is one with a long history and a variety of possible interpretations. It is likely that its owners will always have had a special connection to either a river or the protective forces of nature.
Order DNA origin analysisSchitthelm: Where does the name Schitthelm come from?
The last name Schitthelm is most commonly found today in the German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The surname is thought to be derived from the German word “schitte” which means “broom”, suggesting the family may have been of the lower peasantry historically. Records show that the Schitthelm family has been present in Germany since at least the seventeenth century and likely before then.
Today, the surname is quite common in Southern Germany, Austira, and Switzerland. It can even be found in parts of the United States, Canada, and Brazil, where German immigrants migrated during the nineteenth century. In the United States, there are fewer than 200 individuals with the last name Schitthelm, yet in Germany the name is much more widely spread. According to the German phone book, there are over 10,000 people with the surname Schitthelm living in Germany alone.
In other countries, the surname Schitthelm may be spelled differently due to variations in language and dialect, such as Schitthelm or Schittelmes. Despite these changes in spelling, the surname is still descriptive of the ancestral origin of the family.
Variations of the surname Schitthelm
The Schitthelm surname has a variety of variants, spellings and other surnames of the same origin. These variants, spellings, and surnames are the result of phonetic changes of the name through the centuries, the influence of regional dialects, and often errors in spelling due to lack of literacy.
The most common variants of Schitthelm include Schittelm, Schittelme, Schiddlem, Schwittelm, Schwidleme, Schwettelm, Shiftellm, and Scheiftelm.
The German spellings of Schitthelm include Schittelm, Schtilem, Schittelme, Schwindelm, Schwiddelm, Schwettelm, Schwidlem, Schwindem and Schwitlem.
Other surnames related to Schitthelm include Schuttelman, Shuttelm, and Shittelm. These surnames were likely derived from Schitthelm due to the similarity in pronunciation.
The popularity of the surname Schitthelm within Germany is evidenced by the many variations and spellings within the German language itself. Additionally, the surnames of similar origin may indicate that the name was popular with those of German descent in other parts of Europe.
Famous people with the name Schitthelm
- Lars Schitthelm: German footballer who played in the World Cup 1970.
- Joe Schitthelm: former American basketball player.
- Kurt Schitthelm: former German sprinter who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
- Udo Schitthelm: ex-German international footballer.
- Paul Schitthelm: German handball player and coach
- Dalena Schitthelm: German triple jump athlete.
- Ludwig Schitthelm: Austrian middle-distance runner
- Franz Ludwig Schitthelm: German capuchin monk and astronomer.
- Johann Christian Schitthelm: German theologian.
- Heinrich Schitthelm: German politician.