Surname Winterscheid - Meaning and Origin

Winterscheid: What does the surname Winterscheid mean?

The last name Winterscheid originates from a town in Germany called Windscheid. It is believed to have been derived from the German word “winterscheiden”, which means “to divide the winter”. Originating during a time when Germany was split into many small communities, the name could be used to distinguish a family from one particular small community as they would be the only one with the name.

Over time, the last name Winterscheid has become common throughout many places in Europe, as those with the name have migrated. It is now a fairly common German surname and is found throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium.

The earliest record of the Winterscheid surname was in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the year 1612. That same year, a Jan Winterscheid was recorded in Emmerich Am Rhein, a small town in Germany.

In more recent times, Winterscheid has become a popular surname in the United States as well, due to the large influx of German immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The last name Winterscheid is now found throughout the world, with many bearing the name being proud of its rich history. Even today, the origin of the name is a topic of conversation amongst those with the name, as they trace their ancestral roots and discuss the unique history that lies behind the Winterscheid name.

Winterscheid: Where does the name Winterscheid come from?

The last name Winterscheid is most commonly found in Germany and in German-speaking regions of Switzerland. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, in 2019, the name Winterscheid appeared in 950 different places across Germany, with the largest concentrations near the metropolitan cities of Cologne, Bonn, and Düsseldorf in the west and near Munich in the south. Additionally, it is found in smaller towns and rural areas in the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate.

In population studies, Winterscheid is considered a quite rare last name, with a prevalence of only 0.001% in Germany. It is classified as a typical surname of Western Central Germany, likely given to individuals who originated from the Winterscheid region that is part of the Sauerland, a rural region of Germany located in the present-day states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse.

Beyond Germany and Switzerland, the surname Winterscheid appears to be quite rare, though some individuals bearing the name can be found living in other parts of Europe and the United States. In the United States, Winterscheid is most frequently found in California, but it is also present in smaller numbers in New York, Illinois, Michigan, and Florida.

Variations of the surname Winterscheid

The surname Winterscheid is believed to originate in Germany and is derived from a geographical location. It is an amalgamation of two German words, ‘winters’ meaning winter and ‘scheid’ referring to a river or boundary. Thus, its earliest form was Winter Scheid, going back to the thirteenth century.

The variants and spellings of this surname vary from region to region. In France, it is known as Winterscheidt, while in England and Ireland, it can be found as Winter Shield or Wintishield. In Holland, it may be spelled as Winterschijdt, while in Germany, the form is Winterscheyde or Wintershayd.

In the U.S., there are several different spellings, including Winterscheid, Wintersheid, Wintersheide, Winterscheide, Wintschied, and Wintersecheide.

Surnames with similar meanings include Winterscheck, Winterszek, Winterszyeck, Winterszweide, Wittscheid, Wittscheide, Walterscheid, and Waltersheid.

The surname Winterscheid has been found all over the world. In the United States, it is particularly concentrated in the cities of Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York. It is a popular name in the Netherlands, Germany, and Scandinavia, and is found at a lesser degree in France, England, and Ireland.

Famous people with the name Winterscheid

• Brad Winterscheid: Brad Winterscheid is an American retired superhero actor known for portraying Rant in the Marvel Comic Book series, The Inhumans.
• Mark Winterscheid: Mark Winterscheid is an American former NASCAR driver, who competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2008 to 2009.
• Lyle Winterscheid: Lyle Winterscheid is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 1985.
• Margaret Winterscheid: Margaret Winterscheid is an American beauty queen and reality television star who had competed in the Miss USA 2020 beauty pageant.
• Rebecca Winterscheid: Rebecca Winterscheid is an American art curator and arts consultant. She is the director of the San Francisco Arts Commission, as well as the Executive Director of the LEF Foundation.
• Harry Winterscheid: Harry Winterscheid is a retired American soccer player who played for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.
• Christine Winterscheid: Christine Winterscheid is an American stage and screen actress.
• Emily Winterscheid: Emily Winterscheid is an American artist, singer, and songwriter. Her music has been featured in numerous films and TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy.
• Kimberly Winterscheid: Kimberly Winterscheid is an American author, most notable for her novel, The Occult Influence: The Reality Behind Mysterious Phenomena.
• Marguerite Winterscheid: Marguerite Winterscheid is an American opera singer and concert pianist. She has performed with leading opera companies such as Denver Opera and Santa Fe Opera.

Other surnames

Winterscheidt