Surname Wahlfeil - Meaning and Origin
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Wahlfeil: What does the surname Wahlfeil mean?
The last name Wahlfeil is of German origin. It is derived from the German words "wahl" meaning "choice" and "feil" meaning "for sale." This suggests that the original bearer of this surname may have been a merchant or tradesman who offered multiple choices for sale. The surname could also refer to someone who had the free choice to choose from multiple options.
The history of the Wahlfeil family is quite deep. Earliest records indicate the family resided in the Middle and Upper Rhine regions of Germany. The name was quite common in those regions during the 16th and 17th centuries. During the 19th century, many members of the Wahlfeil family immigrated to the United States.
Today, the Wahlfeil name is fairly uncommon but still present in several countries. The last name is associated with large numbers of individuals in Germany and the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, and Brazil. The common spelling of this name in the United States is Wahlville but other variants exist and are used by families in other countries.
The name Wahlfeil is a unique one that carries with it a strong sense of tradition and heritage. It is thought to reflect the original tradition and skills of the Wahlfeil family as merchants or tradesmen. It also suggests that its bearers were afforded a degree of freedom in their lives or occupations.
Order DNA origin analysisWahlfeil: Where does the name Wahlfeil come from?
The surname Wahlfeil is most commonly found today in Germany, Austria, and the United States.
In Germany it is estimated that there are about 400 people who carry the surname Wahlfeil, mostly concentrated in the states of Bavaria, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia. The original spelling of the name was Walfell, which was changed later on, most likely due to regional dialects, and the name eventually became Wahlfeil.
In Austria there are about 350 people with the last name Wahlfeil, mostly located in the states of Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Lower Austria, and Salzburg.
In the United States, the name is recorded in small numbers across the country, with the highest concentration in Pennsylvania, followed by California, Illinois, New York, and Florida. Many of the families found in the USA are likely the descendants of German immigrants to the country during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The name Wahlfeil is quite a rare surname and is not widely known outside of those countries in which it is most commonly found.
Variations of the surname Wahlfeil
Wahlfeil is a German surname that has a few different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
The most common spelling is Wahlfeil, which is also the original spelling. Other spellings include Wahlafeil, Wahlafeld, Wahlpfeil, Wahlpfeifer, and Walefeller.
Variants include Waehlfeld, Walefield, and Wulfeld. There are also some variants that use the German character "Umlaut" (ä, ö, ü) for the letter "e" (Wählfeil and Wöhlfeil).
Surnames of the same origin include Welfele, Wolffeld, Wulfeil, and Wulfeld.
Wahlfeil is an uncommon German surname that is shared by a small number of people. Those who have the surname are likely to have descended from the same early family, and are likely related to one another.
Famous people with the name Wahlfeil
- Carla Wahlfeil: An American journalist, she was a founding member of the General Press, Society for Professional Journalists, the Los Angeles Association of Women in Media and a member of the Los Angeles Press Club.
- Bernd Wahlfeil: A German physicist and professor, who specialized in quantum mechanics and quantum optics.
- Walter Wahlfeil: A Bavarian doctor and soldier, born in 1908, he was an instructor with the Bavarian Army and later worked at Bavarian Red Cross between 1932 and 1945.
- Jutta Wahlfeil: German chess master, tied for 2nd-3rd in the 11th German Chess Federation Women’s Championship at Magdeburg 1966, and won the German Women’s Team Championship with team SC Heidelberg in 1987.
- Ian Wahlfeil: Known for being the former president of his college’s rugby club, he is currently an engineer and teacher in a remote Alaskan village.
- Kevin Wahlfeil: A pageant coach and pageant system director, he has been teaching pageant skills to girls and women since 1988.
- Andrew Wahlfeil: A violinist and composer, Andrew Wahlfeil released his first album, Song of Time, in 2008.
- Wendy Wahlfeil: A nutritionist, blogger, and founder of Food Grace, Wendy Wahlfeil’s blog focuses on how food can be part of one’s self-care and healing, dealing with healthy eating and emotional eating.
- Vickie Wahlfeil: A music therapist, she combines her experience in music and psychology to create individualized intervention methods to meet her clients’ needs.
- Rene Wahlfeil: A television producer, director, and writer, Rene Wahlfeil has produced over 80 episodes of shows for Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and Animal Planet.