Surname Welm - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'W'
Welm: What does the surname Welm mean?
The last name Welm is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German “welme,” which means “a person who lives near the river.” It can also be derived from the Old High German “Welm”, which means “willow tree.”
The surname Welm is most popular in Germany, but can also be found throughout some countries in Europe, the United States, and Canada.
In German, people with the surname Welm are known to be believers of Christianity, typically Protestants. They are believed to be descendants of the old noble families of Ditmars and its surrounding cities, which trace their roots back to the middle of the 12th century.
The Welm family has had a huge history in Northern Germany, with long-standing ties to several regions. It is believed that the name originated in the city of Ditmars in Mecklenburg, and was then spread to cities such as Stettin, Schwerin, Berlin, and Rostock.
Today, the last name “Welm” continues to be used in Germany, particularly in the northern part of the country. Although it has a long-standing presence in Germany, the Welm surname is now commonly found in the US and Canada, where it is often used as a surname by people of German descent.
Order DNA origin analysisWelm: Where does the name Welm come from?
The last name Welm is commonly found in Germany today. German families began using the Welm surname in the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old Bavarian word “Wilma”, which translates to “desire” or “will”. It is considered to be an occupational surname, and was likely originally used to denote people who worked with the law or held a legal position.
The modern spelling of Welm is found in records from the 1500s onwards, most prevalent in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany, where a large concentration of Welms resided at one point. It is also found in other areas such as Saxony, Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg.
In modern times, many Welms have emigrated from Germany to other parts of Europe and the world, particularly the United States, where they are represented in states such as California, New York, and Pennsylvania. There are also significant numbers of Welms in countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Overall, the last name Welm is thought to remain quite common today, particularly in Germany, where it originated. Although it may be less common in other places, Welms remain a presence in communities around the world, contributing to the unique diversity of our global society.
Variations of the surname Welm
The origin of the surname Welm is most likely Anglo-Saxon. It is believed to be derived from the Old English term welmme meaning ‘wave’. There are many variants, spellings, and surnames derived from Welm, including: Wellman, Warman, Wulm, Whelme, Walme, Wālm, Welms, Welmse, Welmsh, Wellems, Wulfman, Wealms, and Wielms.
Wellman is the most commonly found variant of Welm, and is derived from the Middle English and Old English surnames welleman and welman, both of which mean ‘river dweller’. This variant is most commonly found in Britain, Australia, and the United States.
Warman is another variant of Welm and may have derived from what is known as a ‘nickname’ surname, which was derived from a personal or physical characteristic. In this case, it is believed to be derived from the Old English word wer meaning ‘man’ and may have been used to describe a manly or brave individual.
Wulm is a rarer variant of Welm. It is believed to be derived from the Middle English term wulm, which means ‘mountain’. This variant is most commonly found in Britain.
Whelme is another variant of Welm. It is derived from the Middle English word hwelme meaning ‘a deep swell’ or ‘a wave’.
Walme is another variant of Welm and is derived from the Middle English walme meaning ‘a large wave’.
Wālm is another variant of Welm and is derived from the Old English wālm, meaning ‘a wave’ or ‘a swelling wave’.
Welms and Welmsh are rare variants of Welm. It is believed to originate from an Old English term wyllan meaning ‘to surge’ or ‘to surge up’.
Wellems is another variant of Welm, and is derived from the Old English word walian, meaning ‘to roll’.
Wulfman is a rare variant of Welm and is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages as a nickname for a brave or manly person. This variant is most commonly found in Germany.
Wealms is another variant of Welm and is derived from the Old English term weal, meaning ‘a wave’.
Wielms is a variant of Welm which is most commonly found in the Netherlands. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch term wiel, meaning ‘wheel’.
Famous people with the name Welm
- Rob Welm: Rob Welm is an American lawyer and entrepreneur who founded Hire Velocity, a recruiting and staffing firm. He also serves as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Sollers Group, a fin-tech consumer lending company.
- Pete Welm: Pete Welm is a former American basketball player who played one season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known for being the first foreign-born player to be drafted by an NBA franchise.
- Lindsey Welm: Lindsey Welm is a professional ballroom dancer who has won several national titles, including the United Kingdom Open, World Open and the British National Championship. She was also the first British dancer to win the World Open title in 2006.
- Mark Welm: Mark Welm is a professional golfer who has competed on the PGA Tour and the European Tour. He is best known for his win at the 2002 WGC-American Express Championship, where he made an eagle on the 72nd hole to clinch the victory.
- Tyler Welm: Tyler Welm is a former professional tennis player. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 137 on the ATP rankings, and he reached the main draw of the French Open and US Open in 1998 and 2000.
- Theodor Welm: Theodor Welm was a German composer and singer who was active throughout the 19th century. He composed over 200 songs, which were published and performed both in his time and in more recent years.
- Glenn Welm: Glenn Welm is an American travel photographer and writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Newsweek and other publications. He has also authored numerous books, including The Perfect Light, which is a photography guidebook.