Surname Welscher - Meaning and Origin
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Welscher: What does the surname Welscher mean?
The last name Welscher is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word “welsch,” which means “foreigner” or “stranger.” The name would have originally been given as a surname to someone from, or associated with, a foreign country. The name may have been given to traders and merchants, or someone who was originally from a foreign country. Welscher is also sometimes spelled Welsher or Welshman.
The Welscher surname could refer to someone descended from the Celts in England, Wales, and Scotland since in Germany the name “welsch” was used to refer to people from the British Isles. It could also refer to people from other countries, such as France and Italy, since it was used broadly to describe foreigners.
The name is still common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, but it is rarely seen in other countries. This indicates that the name has not been adopted widely outside of these countries.
The Welscher surname has a long history, with roots that go back centuries. It offers an interesting insight into German history and culture, a reflection of how Germany used to view its foreign neighbors and strangers.
Order DNA origin analysisWelscher: Where does the name Welscher come from?
The surname Welscher is of German origin, and is still common throughout Germany today. It can also be found in many other parts of Europe, such as Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. In the United States of America, the name is more uncommon, but is still in use. According to the US Census, just over 8,000 people with the last name Welscher were living in the country in 2017. The majority of these people are concentrated in the states of Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin, with over half of the population living in Ohio alone.
In the 21st century, many people with the surname Welscher have had their family line traced back to one of the earliest known Welschers, Mathias Welscher, who was born in 1783 near Ulm, Germany. Mathias Welscher is believed to have emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in the United States in 1852. Since then, the Welschers have spread out throughout the country, and the name has become increasingly more common in the US.
While today the surname Welscher is not particularly common, it is still in use around the world. The Welschers of today owe their family name to Mathias Welscher, and are proud to carry on the legacy of their German ancestor.
Variations of the surname Welscher
The Welscher surname can have many different variants, spellings, and surnames related to it. This can include Welsche, Weilschner, Welschen, Wellsche, Welschenberg, and Welschner.
Welscher is derived from the Middle High German word Welshen, which means foreigner or stranger. This surname was given to people who migrated to other places or people who had a foreign origin. It was a common surname used in the Middle Ages before surnames became hereditary.
The pronunciation of this surname can also be slightly different. In some cases, it is pronounced as ‘Vell-shair’ while in other cases it can be pronounced as ‘Vell-scher.’
The Welscher surname is also related to the German surname Welsch, which has the same meaning. This is the result of the changes in spelling and pronunciation that occurred after the migration to other countries.
The surname Welscher can also be seen in the various spellings and forms in other countries. In the Netherlands, it is often spelled as Welschers, Welschmans, Welschering, Welschboer, and Welschmanse, among others. In France, the surname becomes Welscher and Vescher. In Poland, the surname is known as Welszyna or Welszing.
In some cases, the surname Welscher can even take the form of a patronymic or family name—such as Welschens, Welschers’, or Welschersius.
Finally, some variations of the Welscher surname can be seen in Jewish records, such as Velzher, Welzharn, Welzher, and Welsberg.
Famous people with the name Welscher
- Charles Welscher- German actor born in 1980
- Robert Welscher- oil painter and musician born in 1910
- Johann-Heinrich Welscher- German painter born in 1718
- Gustav Welscher- German-born American painter active in the 19th century
- Abraham Welscher- Dutch composer and musician born in 1775
- Joseph Welscher- Czech-born musician and teacher of classical music born in 1784
- Anton Welscher- Austrian composer born in 1762
- Christian Welscher- German-born musicologist born in 1750
- Ignaz Welscher- Austrian conductor and composer born in 1768
- Franz Welscher- Bohemian painter active in the late 19th century
- Isidor Welscher- Austrian pianist, composer, and conductor born in 1815
- Gottfried Welscher- German-born composer, organist, and music teacher born in 1750
- Richard Welscher- Polish-born pianist, conductor and composer born in 1845
- Leopold Welscher- Austrian-born violinist and composer born in 1798
- Werner Welscher- German physicist and chemist born in 1895