Surname Oswalder - Meaning and Origin
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Oswalder: What does the surname Oswalder mean?
The last name Oswalder is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German given name Ozzol, a diminutive of Oswald, which itself is derived from the Old English given name Osweald meaning "God-power". This Anglo-Saxon surname is thought to have been brought to Germany by settlers or mercenaries during the 10th century, and over time developed into the present-day Oswalder.
In its usage as a surname, Oswalder is thought to refer to a family that owned or occupied land under the rule of Odovacar, a 4th century Germanic warrior who established control over much of the Italian peninsula before being defeated by the forces of the Roman Empire. Alternatively, the name may refer to a family who were professional soldiers, specifically members of what is known as the Old Swiss Confederacy.
Today, people with the last name Oswalder are found in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, typically in the Bavarian region of Germany and the Swiss canton of Appenzell. While relatively small in number, some descendants of this surname can be found in other parts of Europe, Australia, and America, indicating that the Oswalder name has traveled further than its original place of settlement.
Order DNA origin analysisOswalder: Where does the name Oswalder come from?
The Oswalder surname is most commonly found in Lower Saxony, Germany, and parts of Belgium. It is thought to be of German origin, derived from an Old German given name, Aschiwald. The Oswalder family name shows up in records as early as the 13th century in Germany. Since then, the Oswalder surname has been seen in various parts of Germany including the cities of Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. However, the surname is most concentrated in Lower Saxony, particularly in the territories of Rotenburg, Cuxhaven, and Uelzen.
The surname is also thought to have spread to other parts of the world, such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. Although it is still found today in those nations, there has been a gradual decline in its prevalence the last few decades.
In the United States is it extremely rare to find someone with the surname Oswalder. There are only a handful of people with the last name Oswalder living in the US today, with the largest concentration of people with the surname living in either the Midwest or the Northeastern parts of the country. It is possible that the Oswalder surname was brought to the US by German immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but there is little evidence to support this theory.
In sum, the Oswalder surname is most commonly found today in Lower Saxony, Germany and in some parts of Belgium, as well as scattered individuals in countries such as the US, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Its prevalence has declined in recent years, though the surname is still a part of the local heritage in some places.
Variations of the surname Oswalder
The surname Oswalder is an ancient name from Germany, and has several variations, spellings, and surnames from the same root. Variants include Oschwalder, Oschwald, Oshwalt, Osche, and Ose. Spellings include Oschwalt, Oschwalder, Osche, and Oswalt. Surnames with a similar origin include Ochs, Osswald, Ochsmann, Ausdaller, Osebold, Ausaler, and Auswald.
The Oschwalder surname is believed to have derived from the Middle High German or Old High German words "brother" and "forest," suggesting it means “brother of the forest.” It is likely the first bearers of this name were individuals who lived in a timber or wooded area. The Ochsmanns, for example, originated in Bavaria, where the first recorded bearer of the name was also a timberman.
The Oschwalder variant is thought to be the oldest of all these surnames, and the Oswalders and Oschwalders likely derived from it. Originally, people who had moved from Oschwalder to places such as East Prussia, Silesia, and Bohemia adopted Oschwald as their surname. Eventually, this resulted in a few distinct Oschwald surnames.
As for the Ose variant, it is mainly associated with Oschwalder descendant families that are thought to have immigrated to the United States from Germany and Austria in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the US, these immigrants often changed their surname to Ose to make it easier to pronounce.
To sum up, the surname Oswalder has several variants, spellings, and surnames from the same origin, such as Oschwalder, Oschwald, Oshwalt, Osche, and Ose, as well as Ochs, Osswald, Ochsmann, Ausdaller, Osebold, Ausaler, and Auswald. It is believed that the early bearers of this name were people who lived in a woodland area and the surname was likely derived from the Middle High German and Old High German words for “brother” and “forest.”
Famous people with the name Oswalder
- Paola Oswalder: Argentinian actress and model.
- Robin Oswalder: Art director and photographer.
- Steve Oswalder: Entrepreneur and CEO of the American based company, Oswalder, Inc.
- Mike Oswalder: American film director and producer.
- Erik Oswalder: German professional tennis player.
- Osvaldo Oswalder: Brazilian professional soccer player
- Katja Oswalder: German visual artist and designer.
- Kedrick Oswalder: American professional singer and songwriter.
- Prudence Oswalder: Harvard educated attorney and former White House Press Secretary.
- David Oswalder: American business executive and television producer.