Surname Wiltse - Meaning and Origin
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Wiltse: What does the surname Wiltse mean?
The last name Wiltse is derived from a Dutch surname that originated from the field of Wiltshire, located in the English southwest county of Wiltshire. The original meaning of the surname was one who came from or lived in Wiltshire.
The roots of the Wiltse surname can be traced back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. In Old English, the word wilt means "willow tree," and the suffix -se is typically thought to have indicated the proximity of a homestead to a particular land feature, such as a ford, stream, or hill.
In addition to its geographical roots, the Wiltse surname has come to signify a range of personal qualities such as strong determination, resilience, and self-reliance. The Wiltses of Wiltshire were known for their farming prowess and, in later years, for their leadership skills on the battlefields of Europe.
Wiltse remains a common surname across much of Europe and the United States, and today families bearing the Wiltse name are still recognizably descended from the original Wiltshire clan. Evidence suggests that some Wiltse families can trace their lineage back to English nobility, while others have been in America since the 17th Century. The Wiltse name is still a proud reminder of a remarkable family's role in service to their community and country.
Order DNA origin analysisWiltse: Where does the name Wiltse come from?
The last name Wiltse is an English-origined surname found in many English-speaking countries. It is derived from the Old English personal name Wiltsa. According to World Names Public Profiler data, the surname is most commonly found today in the United States, particularly in the states of New York, Michigan, and California. It is also relatively common in Canada, particularly in the province of Quebec.
The surname Wiltse is not particularly uncommon, with several thousand people currently bearing the name throughout the United States. Many of these are descendants of the United Empire Loyalists who immigrated to the United States when the British lost the Revolutionary War—a large proportion of Wiltse's being found in areas near the original loyalist settlements.
It is also suggested that the surname Wiltse has an Anglo-Saxon origin, and that a variation of the name was found among the Saxon populations of England and later the North American Primitive tribes. The original spelling of the surname being Wiltsha, with the change in pronunciation possibly resulting from following broader trends in speech across the English-speaking world.
The last name Wiltse, as well as its variants, are still commonly used in English-speaking countries today. It is often found in conjunction with many related Anglicized surnames, such as Wiltshire and Wiltberger.
Variations of the surname Wiltse
The surname Wiltse is an anglicized form of the Dutch surname Wiltsen, which itself is derived from the German given name 'Wulf'. This given name derived from the Old High German "wulf", meaning "wolf". The surname Wiltse is also found in Scotland, and is likely derived from a similar source, though the exact origin is still uncertain.
Variants of the surname Wiltse include Wilts, Wiltsie, Wiltse, Wiltsen, and Wiltson. In some cases, the spelling of the surname has been changed to incorporate other elements, such as Wiltshire or Wiltshear. Additionally, some of these variants, such as Wiltshire, may be used more commonly in certain areas. The surnames Wiltshire and Wiltshear are particularly common in Scotland, while the other variants tend to be more widespread and common across most of the English-speaking world.
Surnames that are related to Wiltse includeWolfe, Wolff, Wolfe, and Wulf. These surnames are derived from the same given name as Wiltse, and they each have their own variants and spellings. Wolfe and its variants are particularly common in German-speaking countries, as well as Scotland. On the other hand, Wulf is more commonly found in Dutch-speaking countries, among other places.
Finally, there is the Scottish variant of the Wiltse name, Wiltshire. This version of the name is derived from the English county of Wiltshire, and may also be spelled as Wiltshear. It is most commonly found in Scotland, and is related to the other variants of the Wiltse surname.
Famous people with the name Wiltse
- Hooks Wiltse: American Major League baseball pitcher
- John Heywood Wiltse: American physician, first to describe herpes zoster oticus
- Louise Wiltse: American zoologist, philanthropist, and tennis player
- Phyllis Wiltse: American actress and educator
- Robert J. Wiltse: American Congressman from New York
- Roy Wiltse: American Major League baseball umpire
- Ruth Wiltse: American actress
- Thomas Wiltse: American video game designer and creator of Pitfall!
- Tracey Wiltse: Canadian-born British field hockey player
- Tyler Wiltse: American Major League baseball pitcher