Surname Filter - Meaning and Origin
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Filter: What does the surname Filter mean?
The origin and meaning of the last name Filter is largely unknown. It is believed to be an occupational name, related to a profession or trade related to filtration and sieving. Indeed, the word “filter” originates from the Latin word “filum” which means “thread”, suggestive of the common practice of using woven cloth to sieve particles out of liquids or powders. Furthermore, the root of the word can also be linked to the Latin word “fluxus” which means “flowing”, such as in a stream or river.
This last name could also refer to a surname created from a location where the filter was used, such as a laboratory or brewery. It could also be related to a surname derived from the name of a filtration invention, such as a filtration device.
The last name Filter likely originated in the Middle Ages, though it is not currently in widespread usage today. The people who gave this last name to their families likely had occupations that were associated with filtration or had an interest in the process of filtration. The people that carried the name may have also been from a location where filtration had a significant role, such as a mine, brewery, or laboratory.
Regardless of the reason for its origin, the Filter family likely has a strong and proud history. The surname is a reminder of the skill and ingenuity of our ancestors in using this essential process of filtration.
Order DNA origin analysisFilter: Where does the name Filter come from?
The last name Filter Common is found in parts of England and Ireland today. The surname can be traced to feudal England, where families of the type were occasionally numbered to distinguish them from other families of the same name. The Filter Common surname originated in the English county of Somerset, which is now part of the southwestern region of Great Britain. It derives from the Old English words “filius” and “Comyn”, and literally translates as “son of Comyn”. The surname eventually spread to counties such as Devon, Cornwall, and Gloucestershire, where it is still found in presence today. In Ireland, some Filter Common families became part of the gentry or landed gentry.
Beyond Great Britain, some Filter Common families emigrated to the United States during the colonial period, and are now found mainly in the southern states. Records show many Filter Commons in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia, as well as in other states. As a result, records of this name can be found in colonial census records, ship logs, newspaper archives, and more.
The last name Filter Common is still prominent in both England and the United States today. It is a reminder of an old English surname that helped form the history of many individuals and families in the present day.
Variations of the surname Filter
The surname Filter has various different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The German surname Filter has variants such as Filster and Velster. It is derived from the German word “vili”, meaning “wooden bucket”. It was likely a nickname for a bucket maker or carrier, and later became a family name.
In French, the surname Filter can be found spelled as Filtier or Filtiere, which is derived from the old French “filtre”, which itself came from the Latin filtrum, meaning “sponge”. It would have been given as a nickname to someone who had some connection with sponges.
The Polish surname Filt is a variation of Filter which is derived from a word meaning “to filter”. It might have been a nickname for a filter maker or one who could provide clean water.
The Dutch surname Filter is also derived from the same root word as the German variant, filteren, meaning “to filter”. This may have been a topographic surname for someone living in or near a filter.
The Irish surname O Filster is an Anglicized version of the similar sounding Phelan and is derived from the Gaelic word “Fheilim”, which means “valiant”.
In Yiddish and Ashkenazi Jewish culture, the surname Filter is spelled as Finkelstein and Filklstein, deriving from the German words “Fein”, meaning “fine” and “Stein” meaning “stone”. It was likely a status name for someone who was particularly wealthy, given the fine stones they owned. It is now related to the English word “diamond”.
Finally, the English surname Fuller is derived from the Anglo-Norman French “fueller” or “fuller”, a word for a clothmaker or a worker of fabrics and hides. These days, Fuller is far more common in its English variant rather than its German or Polish roots, and is a patronymic name for one who is the son of Fuller.
Famous people with the name Filter
- Richard Filter, actor
- Maggie Filter, actress
- Steven Filter, former professional skateboarder
- Kevin Filter, singer-songwriter
- Thomas Filter, musician
- Byron Filter, professional golfer
- Dillon Filter, former professional basketball player
- Fred Filter, poet
- Chandra Filter, YouTuber
- Ryan Filter, musician
- Caroline Filter, Twitch streamer
- Ritchie Filter, comedian
- Tiana Filter, reality television personality
- Ian Filter, author
- Abigail Filter, personal trainer
- Olivia Filter, actress
- Justin Filter, celebrity chef
- Lillian Filter, podcast host
- John Filter, philosopher
- Michael Filter, photographer