Surname Sebaldt - Meaning and Origin

Sebaldt: What does the surname Sebaldt mean?

The last name Sebaldt is a German surname derived from the personal name Sebald. This surname is probably also derived from the Old German words "sigo" and "balt" which have the literal meaning of “victory” and “bold”, respectively. It is believed that the word Sebald was originally a nickname given to someone who was victorious in battle, had great courage, was honest and proud, or expressed strength and boldness in a daring, heroic way.

The Sebaldt surname is found primarily in German-speaking countries, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and a few countries in Scandinavia. It was most common in the western and southwestern regions of Germany, although it has spread over the centuries to other areas of Europe as well as abroad. The surname appears in records as early as the 12th and 13th centuries in Germany.

Today, the last name Sebaldt is most commonly found among German communities, but can also be found in other parts of Europe and the United States. People bearing the name are usually proud of their ancestry and strive to maintain the pride of their ancestors. This name is usually not used as a given name in much of Europe, though it is common in some parts of Germany.

Sebaldt: Where does the name Sebaldt come from?

The last name Sebaldt is most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking areas of Europe such as Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is an uncommon name throughout the rest of the world, with only a handful of families having the surname.

The origin of the surname is German. It derives from a personal name, Segebald, which was popular in the Middle Ages. It is made up of two separate elements, seg and bald. The former means “victory” or “triumph”, while the latter is thought to come from Proto-Germanic and means “bold” or “fearless”.

Sebaldt is an uncommon, but steadily used surname in Germany, with figures from the city of Munich showing that in 2018 there were 1,331 people with this last name. It is, however, more common in other parts of the world. For example, in the US state of Michigan, there are over 1,800 people registered with the name.

The surname is associated with many notable people in history, including German footballer Dieter Sebaldt, Italian-born literary critic Umberto Sebald, author W.G. Sebald, and various musical figures in classical and jazz.

Overall, the surname Sebaldt is most commonly found in German-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. It is also used more widely in the United States, with Michigan being particularly noteworthy for the number of people registered with this surname. Famous people who have had this surname throughout history have included footballers, literary critics, authors and musicians.

Variations of the surname Sebaldt

The surname Sebaldt is an ancient German patronymic surname derived from the first name Sebald. Sebaldt is represented in many other forms and spellings depending on the country. These include Sebald, Sebaldi, Sebaldus, Sebott, Sebolt, Sebold, Seboltz, Seboltstein, Seboltsteiner, Seboll, Seboltz, Sebott, Sebottes, Sebotti, Seboldti, Sebottes, Sebiller, Sebillers, Sebolls, Seboldts and Seboltz.

The name Sebaldt is likely derived from the Old High German sebawald, which means ‘strength or brave one’ as well as ‘authority’. The name Sebald itself is a combination of seb, meaning victory, and wald, meaning rule. Alternatively, it has also been proposed that the term sebawald originated from the words sebastos andwald, or ‘imperial rule or authority’.

Sebaldt is a common surname in countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is often associated with a variety of other surnames due to the high frequency of name changes throughout Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. Variations of the name Sebaldt have also been adopted in some countries, such as ‘Sebal’ in France and Spain.

The surname Sebaldt is still prevalent today, and is typically used as a form of identification or to indicate family relations. As with many surnames, Sebaldt connects a family’s history and provides insight into their origins.

Famous people with the name Sebaldt

• Otto Sebaldt: Officer in the Prussian Cavalry, who was noted for taking part in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt on October 14th 1806.
• Sarah Sebaldt: American musician and singer-songwriter, who released her album “Sparks” in 2014.
• Dwight Sebaldt: American football player and coach, who played for the Chicago Bear in 1963.
• Johannes Sebaldt: painter from Weimar, who painted portraits of prominent members of Weimar Court.
• Tim Sebaldt: German artist, who specializes in glassmaking and animal sculptures.
• Henrich Sebaldt: German-born theologian and professor, who served as Professor of Theology at University of Halle.
• David and Jan Sebaldt: Brothers who together founded the engineering firm 'Sebaldt GmbH' in Berlin.
• Devon Sebaldt: American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who released his debut album ‘Devon Sebaldt and The Travelers’ in 2015.
• Regina Sebaldt: Austrian playwright, best known for her play 'Till Degradation Do Us Apart'.
• Hans Sebaldt: German Olympic canoeist, who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympic games.

Other surnames

Sebald