Surname Waldschmid - Meaning and Origin
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Waldschmid: What does the surname Waldschmid mean?
The last name Waldschmid is of Germanic origin and is derived from the Old German words “wald” and “schmidt,” meaning “forest” and “blacksmith,” respectively. It is believed that the surname was originally borne by occupational blacksmiths who worked in and around forests. In Germany, it is also found as Waldschmidt, and in other parts of Europe, it has taken various forms (e.g., Waldschmied and Waldschmidts).
In its oldest German form, the last name may have been used to refer to a blacksmith who repaired the tools of lumberjacks or charcoal burners working in the forests. Alternatively, the name could also refer to someone working as a craftsman in a village near a forest. The surname may also have been derived from a place name, signifying a person from a village close to a forest.
The surname Waldschmid is not particularly common today but can still be found in various parts of Germany. It is also found in Austria, Switzerland, France, and other countries.
Order DNA origin analysisWaldschmid: Where does the name Waldschmid come from?
The last name Waldschmid is most often found in the German-speaking region of Europe, with the highest concentrations of people with this surname located in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. There are over forty thousand people around the world with this surname.
In Germany, there are more than sixteen thousand Waldschmids living there today, with the highest concentration being in Bavaria. Most of the towns with the highest concentrations are located in the northern part of the country near Hamburg and in the rural areas around Cologne, Heidelberg, and Darmstadt. The highest concentration can be found in Munich, the largest city in Bavaria.
In Austria, the highest concentration can be found in Vienna, where there are about two thousand people with this surname living there. Vienna is the capital of Austria and the largest city in the country. The smaller cities and towns of lower or no density with this surname are located in the state of Lower Austrian.
The Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft has the highest concentration of people with this surname in Switzerland, with about three hundred people living in the canton. Other Swiss cantons with lower concentrations include Bern, Zurich, and Aargau.
Today, people with the Waldschmid surname can be found living in Canada, the U.S., Australia, and other countries outside of Europe. The Waldschmid surname is believed to have first appeared in the late 15th century.
Variations of the surname Waldschmid
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Waldschmid are related to the words "wald" and "schmid", which together mean "woodsman" or "forester". The most common variants are Walzschmidt, Waldschmidt, Waltzschmidt, Waldemidt, Walschmiedt and Waltemidt. Variations of the spelling of these variants also exist, such as Walstmid, Walsmit, Walstmied, Walstmeidt and Waltemiedt.
Other variants and variations include Waldschmied, Waltschmid, Waltschmidt and Waldschmiede. These all have the same meaning and origin of the surname Waldschmid.
It is possible to add other endings to the surname such as -er, -e, -s, -ten and even hyphenated spellings such as Wal-Schmidt or Walt-Schmidt. Variants related to the surname Waldschmidt can also be found in different countries such as Walzschmid, Weltzschmid, Weltzschmid and Woltzschmidt in Germany; Walzmajer, Walczmajer, Waczmajer and Wasczmajer in Poland; Voleschmidt in Luxembourg; Woltzsmied in Denmark and Veltzschmid in Liechtenstein.
All of these variants, spellings and surnames have the same origin of the surname Waldschmidt. They are all derived from the old Germanic language and mean the same thing: "woodsman" or "forester". In the modern day, these variants and spellings are still sometimes used by families that trace their roots back to this particular surname.
Famous people with the name Waldschmid
- Ingo Waldschmid: renowned German musician
- Johannes Waldschmid: German painter and graphic artist
- Helmut Waldschmid: Austrian sculptor and medal artist
- Erich Waldschmid: German architect
- Michael Waldschmid: Austrian sculptor and bronze caster
- Simon Waldschmid: Bavarian graphic designer
- Heike Waldschmid: German ceramist
- Harald Waldschmid: German fantasy and science fiction illustrator
- Christina Waldschmid: German photographer
- Maren Waldschmid: Swiss opera singer
- Karin Waldschmid: German author and illustrator
- Reinhold Waldschmid: German historian