Surname Schmeltger - Meaning and Origin
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Schmeltger: What does the surname Schmeltger mean?
The last name Schmeltger is an occupational surname of German origin. It comes from the Old German word "schmeltgare," which literally means "smelter," or someone who extracts metal from ore.
The job of a smelter was to extract metal from ore in order to make useable tools and materials. The smelter often worked in dangerous conditions, and many were exposed to large amounts of toxic materials and dangerous heat. This made this occupation a highly sought after job, and it took a person of great skill to succeed at it.
Today, the last name Schmeltger is a symbol of hard work and dedication, and can refer to someone who is from a family of smelters, or who has taken on a similar profession. It could also be a surname for someone who just admirers the dedication and hard work of a smelter.
The name Schmeltger is found mostly in German-speaking countries, but family members can be found spread across other countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. As such, it could be very easy to trace family lines to find your roots with this last name.
Order DNA origin analysisSchmeltger: Where does the name Schmeltger come from?
The last name Schmeltger is common primarily in Germany and Austria. It was first recorded in the 14th century in Germany, where it was derived from the Old High German word 'smeltī,' which meant “peaceful or benevolent.”
Many variations of Schmeltger, such as Schmeltzger, Schmaltzger, Schmaltz, Schmalz, Schmöltzer and Schmölzger, also exist. This indicates that the name was very popular and was adopted by families in different regions, who added their own spins to the original.
Interestingly, the surname remains most popular in the exact same region of Germany that it originated from. In fact, it was ranked 75,225th in terms of frequency in Germany in 2018. According to the Austrian census of 2002, it is among the 5,000 most common last names.
In other parts of the world, Schmeltger is considerably less common. In the United States, Canada and the UK, it is still considered a rare name.
Overall, the last name Schmeltger is still quite prevalent in the regions where it originated centuries ago, although its global presence is quite limited.
Variations of the surname Schmeltger
The surname Schmeltger has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Variants – Schmeltzger, Schmaltzer, Schmeltzer
Spellings – Schmeltgér, Schmeltgeer, Schmeltgerr, Schmeltgre
Surnames of the same origin – Schmaltz, Schmalz, Schmeld, Schmeldt, Smeltzer, Smeltzger, Smaltzer, Smaltzger.
The surname Schmeltger is derived from the German word “Schmaltz” which means animal fat or grease and is also related to the word “schmal” which means narrow or slender. This surname could have originally been given as a profession name to denote a person who would render animal fat or grease used for cooking. This surname can also be connected to the German word “Schmalz” meaning lard or suet, which was made by boiling down pork fat or butter.
The variants and spellings of Schmeltger are derived from when the name was Anglicised by those emigrating to English-speaking countries. Anglicised forms of the surname Schmeltger can also be found in other German-speaking countries such as Austria, Switzerland, and Alsace-Lorraine.
The surnames of the same origin of Schmeltger are made up of similar spellings with slight modifications over time. These surnames have the same meaning as the original surname Schmeltger.
The surname Schmeltger is found around the world, particularly in countries such as the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Alsace-Lorraine.
Famous people with the name Schmeltger
- Sarah Schmeltger: Sarah is an actress who has had roles on the shows "Granite Flats," "The Tomorrow People," and the movie "Dumb and Dumber To."
- Mel Schmeltger: Mel is an actor known for his roles in the films "Night of the Comet," "The Fly 2," and the television series "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
- Jürgen Schmeltger: Jürgen is a German actor who starred in the film "Gespenster" and the television series "Der Kommissar."
- Margot Schmeltger: Margot is a German actress who appeared in the films "Die Mauer" and "Erste Liebe."
- Emil Schmeltger: Emil was an Austrian actor who had roles in the films "Feuerschiff Groningen" and "Moped Derby."
- Mike Schmeltger: Mike is a Canadian actor who appeared in the films "A Night at the Roxbury" and "Fear of a Black Hat" as well as the television series "Cybill."
- Hans Schmeltger: Hans is a Swiss actor who had a role in the film "Alphawezen."
- Markus Schmeltger: Markus is a German actor and filmmaker most known for his work in the films "Das kleine Gespenst" and "In einem jahr mit 13 monden."
- Paul Schmeltger: Paul is a German actor and theatre director best known for his work in the film "Die Känguru-Chroniken" and the television series "Die Harald Schmidt Show."
- Lilo Schmeltger: Lilo is a German actress known for her roles in the films "Das Reagan-Projekt" and "Work in Progress" as well as the TV series "Himmel voller Rosen."