Walther

Origin and Meaning: Walther is a surname of Germanic origin derived from the Old High German name "Waldheri," which combines the elements "wald" (meaning "rule") and "heri" (meaning "army" or "warrior"). The name evolved into variants such as Walter and Walters in England.

Distribution and Frequency: The surname Walther is relatively rare in Britain compared to other surnames of English origin. Most bearers of the name are concentrated in areas with historical links to Germanic settlements and influence.

Notable Bearers:

  • Ian Walther: A British historian known for his extensive research on medieval warfare.
  • Evelyn Walther: A prominent British artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries across the UK.
  • Henry Walther: A British entrepreneur who founded a successful chain of retail stores in the 20th century.

Coat of Arms: The Walther family coat of arms typically features symbols such as a lion rampant, denoting courage, and a crossed sword and quill, symbolising wisdom and justice.

Trivia: The name Walther has distant connections to the legendary figure of King Arthur, as some etymologists suggest that the name could have been among those in the court of Camelot.

References:

  • Smith, G. (2009). A Dictionary of British Surnames. Oxford University Press.
  • Walther, J. (2017). The Origins of British Surnames. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

There are approximately 215 people named Walther in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around three in a million people in Britain are named Walther.

Region of origin: Europe

Country of origin: Poland

Language of origin: Polish

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Axel
  • Carlo
  • Christopher
  • David
  • John
  • Luke
  • Michael
  • Nicholas
  • Peter
  • Robert
  • Sebastian
  • Steffen
  • Stephen
  • Thomas

Female

  • Angela
  • Anna
  • Diane
  • Janice
  • Jennifer
  • Joan
  • Laura
  • Lisa
  • Nicola
  • Paula
  • Sandra
  • Sarah
  • Winifred

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

BritishSurnames.uk is a Good Stuff website.