Surname Wolberton - Meaning and Origin

Wolberton: What does the surname Wolberton mean?

The last name Wolberton is of English origin. It is derived from the Old English word wulfre, which means “wolf” and the Old English word beorh, which means “fortress” or “mound”. Therefore, the name Wolberton has a literal meaning of “wolf fortress” or “wolf mound”.

The specific origin of the Wolberton family is not known, but it’s likely that they descended from an ancient Anglo-Saxon family. During times of feudalism, families like Wolberton were most likely landowners or holders of some other kind of privilege. As a result, the name Wolberton is now associated with a sense of sophistication and class.

Wolberton is an uncommon name; however, it may be taken as a variant of another surname, such as Wolverson or Wolfington. In a 2018 survey, the name Wolberton only appeared in the top 5,000 surnames in the United States. Although rare, individuals with the last name Wolberton can still be found living in various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

In the end, the name Wolberton is a powerful evocation of a time passed by, representing an ancient Anglo-Saxon family with the same name who once roamed the countryside. The instance of this name being used within the modern age serves as a reminder of the power and influence of the family’s original patriarch.

Wolberton: Where does the name Wolberton come from?

The last name Wolberton is most commonly seen today in North America and parts of Europe. It is believed to have originated in Germany where records of the surname date back as far as 1682.

In the United States, the surname appears primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC. Approximately 2,000 people with the surname currently reside in the US, with 80 percent of those in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. It is also common in Canada, with most living in the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario.

In Germany, the last name is most concentrated in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony, where an estimated 500 people live with the surname. Other large concentrations of Wolberton can also be found in the United Kingdom, with many living in London, as well as in South Africa, Netherlands, France, and Australia.

The Wolberton name is thought to be of German origin, although some people of other nationalities have adopted the name in recent years. It is a relatively rare name compared to more common names in the area where it is found, making it quite distinct.

Variations of the surname Wolberton

The surname Wolberton is believed to have originated in the Germanic region, and it has various variant spellings and other names with the same origin. A few of these variants include Walbourn, Walbraden, Walberton, Waelbreon, Waelbruen, Walbrun, and Welbron. Some of these surnames, such as Walbourn, can be traced back to England, and are believed to be derived from the Old English word “Wealb” which means “foreign” or “stranger”.

Variants such as Walbraden and Waelbrun are believed to have been derived from a place name such as Walborn, which is a hamlet in the Derbyshire region of England. Walberton, on the other hand, is derived from an Anglo-Saxon given name that is composed of the elements “Weal” and “Berht”, which can be translated to mean ‘bright foreigner’. Variants such as Waelbruen and Welbron are also derived from Old English elements, which can be translated to mean ‘the source of the foreign warrior’ or ‘stranger’s stream’.

Although the variants, spellings and surnames of Wolberton all have the same origin, due to centuries of mispronunciations and spellings these names have diversified in their modern forms. Today, thousands of people bear the surnames Wolberton, Walbourn, Walbraden, Walberton, Waelbreon, Waelbruen, Walbrun, and Welbron.

Famous people with the name Wolberton

• Alan Wolberton: English cricketer and all-rounder who was part of the original grandslam and partnership with Len Hutton.
• Leland W. Wolberton: American emigration and settlement scholar who wrote a book for immigrants relocating to the United States.
• Peter Wolberton: British physicist and the first to discover the Wolberton effect, a property of the capacitance of a capacitor.
• Jean Wolberton: French-born American library curator and botanical illustrator, living and working in New York in the early 20th century.
• Jean-Yves Wolberton: French entrepreneur, athlete, and coach, and the first French athlete to win a gold medal at the World Championships in Athletics.
• Howard Wolberton: American director, photographer, and producer, best known for producing music videos primarily in the 80s and 90s.
• Jeff Wolberton: Canadian technology entrepreneur and investor, known as one of the early pioneers of the mobile applications industry.
• Paul Wolberton: Canadian lawyer and politician, serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the riding of Hamilton Centre from 1951 to 1958.
• Will Wolberton: British-born Canadian actor best known for his performance as Jim Covington in the 1982 movie "Top Secret".
• Jacqueline Wolberton: US-based knitwear and lifestyle designer, curating a modern collection of classic knitted pieces.

Other surnames

WolbertWölbertWolberts