Surname Mälchers - Meaning and Origin
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Mälchers: What does the surname Mälchers mean?
The last name Mälchers is a German family name, derived from the name Melcher with the addition of the German “ä” character. This character is known as an Umlaut and it typically has an effect of changing the pronunciation of a word but not changing the meaning. As such, Mälchers is often pronounced and spelled similarly to Melcher.
The meaning of the name Mälchers is derived from the medieval German personal name Melcher which is a combination of two Old German words, “meil” and “hari” meaning “kind” and “army” respectively. Together, the name has taken a variety of meanings, ranging from “army of the brave” to “one who is gentle in battle” to simply “kind warrior”.
The Mälchers family has a long history in Germany and can be traced back to the early 18th century. It was first found in Münster in Westphalia, which was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and remains an important hub for cultural diversity to this day. This area was also referred to as the Palatinate of the Rhine, and members of the Mälchers family would have likely taken part in trade and agriculture throughout this region.
In modern times, the surname Mälchers has become more widespread, thanks to migration around the world, but its original roots remain in the Palatinate of the Rhine region. To this day, the Mälchers family is associated with strength and bravery, with roots firmly planted in German culture.
Order DNA origin analysisMälchers: Where does the name Mälchers come from?
Mälchers is a German surname derived from the old German name Maulger, meaning 'strong power'. It is believed to have originated in the medieval times in northern Germany and is still quite common there today. It is a relatively uncommon surname outside of the German region, however it can be found to some degree in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
In Germany, Mälchers is mainly found in parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and to a lesser extent in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Berlin and Hamburg have a high concentration of Mälchers, as well as larger urban centres such as Münster, Köln, and Magdeburg. Smaller villages in Germany also show a presence of the name.
As of October 2020, data from the German telephone directory indicates that about 3,600 people living in Germany have the Mälchers name. This makes it a fairly common name and means that most of those living in the German region would know of someone with the surname either personally or through acquaintances.
In the United States, Mälchers is not particularly prevalent; the US federal census of 2018 showed only 70 Americans with the surname, most of them concentrated on the East and West Coasts. Similarly, the 2016 Canadian Federal Census found only 12 Mälchers, again mostly concentrated around the urban centres of British Columbia, Toronto, and Montreal.
Overall, despite its German roots, the Mälchers surname is not very common outside of Germany today.
Variations of the surname Mälchers
The surname Mälchers is an uncommon German surname that has several variant spellings, including Mallers, Mahlers, Maellers and Mailers. It is ultimately derived from the Old High German mateler, meaning “miller” or “mill-man," which suggests an occupational surname of a miller or mill worker.
The Mälchers surname can also have some alternate spellings, such as Mällers or Melchers. These spellings are believed to be derived from the Middle German maeler, and are often found in Germany and the Netherlands.
Surnames that are closely associated with Mälchers but have developed separately include Maulers, Mailänder, Maillander, Malinder, Maerlender, Marlender, Mehdorn, Meldon, Meftah, Melton, Möhlenhaus and Möhlenkamp.
The Mälchers surname can also be found in England and Scotland via migration from Germany and Netherlands or from an Anglicized version of the name, such as Maller or Mallers. It is also believed that there are some Italian variants of the Mälchers surname, such as Mallardi or Maillardi, which are derived from the Italian verb mailare, meaning "to beat."
The Mälchers surname has spread all over the world; with its various spellings and variants, it is particularly prominent in the United States, Canada, Australia, and various European countries.
Famous people with the name Mälchers
- Max Mälchers (German celebrity chef)
- Heribert Mälchers (German actor)
- Eva-Maria Mälchers (German actress)
- Paul Mälchers (German film actor)
- Marina Mälchers (German actress and voice actress)
- Thomas Mälchers (German film actor and producer)
- Karin Mälchers (German singer)
- Uwe Mälchers (German film actor)
- Christian Mälchers (German author and journalist)
- Isabella Mälchers (German actress)