Surname Sölter - Meaning and Origin
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Sölter: What does the surname Sölter mean?
The last name Sölter is a German surname, mainly found in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It is derived from the Old Germanic surname Sōlther, which means ‘son of Sōl’, where Sōl probably refers to the Sun. Sōlther was actually first used as a name for boys born during a sunny day on Sundays, the former being a symbol of good luck.
The Sölter last name is mainly found around Westphalia, a region that includes several cities like Muenster, Paderborn, Dortmund and many more. Since this area of Germany was for countless centuries a hotbed of immigration and cultural exchange, the family name Sölter can be found in many other regions of the world, especially in Germany, the United States and Mexico.
The name Sölter is also associated with two different coat of arms; the first belonged to the noble family Sölter, who was documented in 1721 and the second one was described in the book “Zur Geschichte, Genealogie und Kreuzherrschaft der Familie Solter” (Regensburg, Germany, 1991). The crest of the family Sölter is known as “Senior von Slonden” and is said to be a representation of the sun’s rays.
It seems that the Sölter last name is taken from a sun related term, possibly referring to sons born on sunny days. This surname is mainly found in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, although it can be found all over the world. Lastly, it is connected to two coats of arms that depict rays of the sun.
Order DNA origin analysisSölter: Where does the name Sölter come from?
The surname Sölter is most common in Germany today. It is primarily a patronymic of German origin derived from a given name derived from “Sölter,” which is a combination of two words meaning “salt” (sölt) and “stone” (er). The name is found throughout Germany, particularly in the east, including the states of Saxony, Brandenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt and Thuringia, where it has been in use since at least the 18th century. It is also found in surrounding countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, Denmark, and Slovakia.
In terms of frequency, Sölter is not especially common anywhere today. Its highest concentration is in the German state of Brandenburg, where there were 547 people carrying the name in 2019, making it the 477th most popular surname in the region. It is more rare in other countries. For instance, in Austria, there were only 44 people with the Sölter name, making it the 6443rd most popular name.
The name likely dates back to at least medieval times when it was likely connected with salt extraction and processing. It is possible that individuals such as miners, traders, and civil servants who made their living working in salt-related professions adopted the name and passed it on to successive generations. Although the meaning of the name has been lost to time, it is likely that it served to commemorate a particular person or places of significance.
Variations of the surname Sölter
The surname Sölter is a German surname, first found in the region of the North Sea coastline. It is also spelled as Soelter, Sohlter, Sőlter, Soltor, Soeltzer, and Zoltner.
The surname originated from the northern Germanic province of Holstein and was mainly found in the areas of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, and other north German provinces as well as Denmark, Bavaria and East Prussia. The origin of the surname may be derived from the German word “söltern” which means “to shelter,” or from the German word “solber,” meaning “to settle,” referring to the settling of strangers into a new place.
It is also possible that the name Sölter is derived from a given name, such as Sölter, the German form of the biblical Eltar or Eltor.
In the United States, the surname Sölter is most frequenly found during the early German immigration in the 17th and 18th centuries.
A variant of the Sölter name includes the spelling Soeltzer. This surname is thought to have originated in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany and to be derived from the old German word “zolzer,” meaning “goose” or “geese.” The surname is also common in Poland and Austria.
Sőlter is a Hungarian form of Sölter, though it is thought to be derived from the ancient personal name Eltor or Eltar. The surname Sohlter is thought to have originated in Saxony, Germany and may be derived from the Old German “solar,” meaning “father.”
The Sölter surname is rare in the United States and other countries today. It is still most commonly found in the northern German-speaking regions of Europe.
Famous people with the name Sölter
- Ivo Sölter: German actor.
- Johannes Sölter: German footballer.
- Maximilian Sölter: German footballer.
- Eric Sölter: German actor.
- Alexander Sölter: German actor.
- Lars Sölter: German ice hockey player.
- Gloriosus Sölter: German playwright.
- David Sölter: German race car driver.
- J. F. Sölter: German classical composer.
- Werner Sölter: German modern dancer.
- Annika Sölter: German diver.
- Christian Sölter: German former footballer.
- Marcel Sölter: German cyclist.
- Viktor Sölter: German actor.
- Elisabeta Sölter: German writer and author.
- Julian Sölter: German former professional soccer player.
- Paul Sölter: German high jumping athlete.
- Oliver Sölter: German professional motorcycle rider.
- Robert Sölter: German sculptor and painter.
- Andrea Sölter: Austrian model.