Surname Selbach - Meaning and Origin
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Selbach: What does the surname Selbach mean?
Selbach is a German surname that is derived from a topographic name for a person who came from a new settlement in a wooded area. Selbach can also be a habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Selbach or Selbacke. It is believed to have its origin in Bavaria, meaning "salt stream" or "salt brook".
The Kerry Stemmata (Kerry Genealogical guides) provides further historical information about the Selbach name. According to the guides, the name has been around since the late 15th or 16th century, with the earliest written record of the surname being found in a record from 1573. It is also likely that the name dates back even further, as records from that time were not always well-kept.
The Selbach family can trace its roots back to a branch of nobility, with early members becoming prominent farmers and craftsmen. Throughout the years, members of the family have been influential in various professions, including politics, military, and religion.
Selbach is a proud name to carry, with connections to a rich German history. It is a testament to those past members of the family who worked hard to create a name that has been successful for hundreds of years and represents strong values.
Order DNA origin analysisSelbach: Where does the name Selbach come from?
The last name Selbach is most commonly found throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The Selbach surname has its origins in the Middle Ages, when many locales in these countries adopted the name as the label for a person who lived near a spring or stream. More specifically, the name Selbach is derived from the Old German word 'selbac', which translates to 'clear stream'.
In Germany, the most prominent concentration of the Selbach surname is found in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, located in southwestern Germany along the Rhine River. While the given name Selbach is widespread throughout various parts of Germany, more concentrated pockets of the name can also be found in the German states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony.
In Austria, the Selbach name is more commonly found in the western states of Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, and parts of Lower Austria. In Switzerland, the Selbach surname is concentrated in the country's northern cantons, as well as parts of German-speaking Switzerland.
Although not as widespread as it once was, the last name Selbach is still very much alive. Today, many descendants of those who adopted the Selbach name during the Middle Ages continue to share the family name, albeit spelled differently due to the various linguistic influences found throughout the centuries.
Variations of the surname Selbach
Selbach is a Germanic surname commonly found in the German speaking countries of central Europe. It is derived from the Old German 'selb' meaning 'self' combined with 'bach' which translates to 'brook'. As such, this surname is believed to refer to a person who was either born near a brook or had an affinity for it.
The spelling variants of Selbach include Sulbach, Selbak, Selbakk, Selbeck, Selbank and Selbanks. The surname has also been modified and expanded to include Selbacher, Selbachinger, Selbacker and Sulbacher. In some cases, the surname even becomes Tsubach, as was the case with the famous Jewish piano virtuoso, Josef Tsubach.
All of these variants and related surnames share the same origin as Selbach. It is a popular German surname and researchers believe it is also carried by families from Austria, Hungary, Russia and the Czech Republic.
Given the popularity of the surname in German-speaking countries, it has also been adopted by other cultures with variations in spelling and pronunciation. In many cases, the surnames developed as combinations of the original Old German variant and the local language, which is why the surname can be found in English speaking countries spelled as Salbach or Solbach, and in Spanish speaking countries, Salbach.
As a result, the Selbach surname is a versatile and diverse one, which explains why it is found all over the world.
Famous people with the name Selbach
- Karl Selbach: German actor who has appeared in several films such as The Red Baron and Der Ring des Nibelungen.
- Armin Selbach: German former goalkeeper who played for Bonner SC from 1995-1999.
- Jan Selbach: Dutch physicist and former professor at the Technical University of Delft, known for his research on nanostructure and spintronics.
- Carl Selbach: American businessman and founder of the Selbach Machinery Company, a manufacturer of industrial machinery and equipment.
- Uve Selbach: German fencer, Olympic medalist and World Fencing Champion in sabre in both 1954 and 1965.
- Jeffrey Selbach: American composer who has scored several films including American Pie.
- Gitte Selbach: Danish former artistic gymnast who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games.
- Ulfert Selbach: German sculptor, painter, and academic who was known for his experimental geometrical abstract shapes.
- Alec Selbach: American technology entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded the branding and marketing firm Rain, as well as the enterprise software startup VerbalizeIt.
- Astrid Selbach-Borck: First female attorney in Germany, who was arrested in 1933 for her work on behalf of persecuted Jews.