Surname Smelcher - Meaning and Origin
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Smelcher: What does the surname Smelcher mean?
The surname Smelcher doesn't appear to have an established meaning available in universally recognized surname databases or resources. This could be due to a variety of reasons including it being relatively rare, or it could have undergone significant changes from its original form due to geographical movement, transcription errors, or language evolution. Surnames can originate from a profession, a father's name, geographical location, or personal characteristic. If it is of German origin, it could possibly be derived from the occupation of a "smelter", someone who melts and refines metals. However, this is largely speculative and further historical and genealogical research is necessary to provide an accurate meaning.
Order DNA origin analysisSmelcher: Where does the name Smelcher come from?
The surname Smelcher can be found primarily in the United States and United Kingdom. In the US, it is most common in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, with smaller concentrations in Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia.
In the UK, the name is found most commonly in the regions of East Anglia and the Midlands. It is present in other regions as well, but in much smaller numbers.
Smelcher is likely of German origin, derived from the medieval word "smelige", meaning honest, upright, or possessive. This is confirmed by a large concentration of the surname on the west side of the Rhineland (Landesmuseum Bonn, 2009).
The name is found in several variants, such as Smelcher, Smelkers, Smelcha, Smelker, and Smelka. The first known bearer of the name in the United States was the immigrant Henry Smelker, arriving from Germany in the early 1700s, followed by several other immigrants of the same surname over the next two centuries.
In more recent decades, the name has become much less common, with the 2000 U.S. Census revealing only 84 households with someone bearing the surname Smelcher. Despite its current rarity, the surname Smelcher has a long and rich origin in the US and UK, though its current concentration is minimal.
Variations of the surname Smelcher
The surname Smelcher is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word ‘smelhec’, which means ‘to melt’. The variants and alternate forms of the surname Smelcher include Smelker, Smelke, Smalcher, Smelhler, Smeler, Smelarth, Smelhardt, Smolcher, Smolker, Schmelcher, and Schmelke.
Smelcher is also the anglicized form of a number of German surnames such as Schmolzer, Schmelzer, Smeltzer, Smelzner, Smeltzner, and SmAlecht. There are a few variants of the surname Smelcher found in the Netherlands as well, such as Smelser, Smelters, and Smelsers.
The spelling of Smelcher is found in a large variety of locations including the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Netherlands, and other parts of Europe. It is also a popular surname in some parts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The Smelcher name was originally an occupational name used by an armorer or a smith, somebody who works with metals, usually to repair or forge weapons or armor. The surname is a reference to the occupation of armor-making. It also referred to those who used to make iron tools or who worked in tin forges.
The Smelcher name is quite common and it is still in use today. It is found in various forms such as Smelker, Smalcher, Smelhler, Smeler, Smelarth, Smelhardt, Smolcher, Smolker, Schmelcher, Schmelke, Smelser, Smelters, and Smelsers.
Famous people with the name Smelcher
- Jacob Smelcher, American actor
- Lila Smelcher, American television writer
- Ted Smelcer, American poet
- Charles Smelcher, American football player
- Peggy Smelcher, former actress
- Leslie Smelcher, former figure skater
- Marissa Smelcher, YouTube personality
- Tyler Smelcher, amateur filmmaker
- Matt Smelcher, American basketball player
- Steve Smelcher, American artist